Shadows
by Tinni
Summary: Likely my very last V/B fic. Vegeta and the entire Saiyain race is cursed by a witch.
1.

Shadow01

Chapter 1

It was happening again. The shadows whispering to him. The words spoken so fast that they bleed together conveying no message just a headache. He clutched his head and screamed out, 'Leave me alone. Why won't you leave me alone?' demanded Goku.

'Because we can't.' said that voice that sounded so like his own. 'We need you Kakarott. We need you…'

The shadows stopped. Goku opened his eyes slowly. His wife was hovering over him in concern. 'Are you all right?' she asked. The room was flooded with light. He had had the lights placed in such a way that very little shadow was cast. That had been the first sign Chichi got that something was not right. But what exactly was wrong she did not know.

As far as Goku was concerned she never will, 'I am fine.' He said putting forth that goofy son smile. 'You worry too much.'

A sad cast came over Chichi's face, 'Goku we have been married for a long time. We have a five year old son for Kami's sake and you still keep secrets from me. Why?' she asked, 'I mean you are not suppose to keep secrets from your wife.'

'O come on Chichi.' Said Goku with a smile, 'You keep secrets too.'

'Like what?' she wondered.

'Well you still haven't told me what you put in your chicken soup.' Offered Goku.

Chichi began laughing, 'And you are never going to find out either. That's an old family secret that I can only tell my daughter or daughter in law.'

'Well I better hope Gohan grows up and falls in love quickly so I can eavesdrop.' Said Goku in his friendly cheerful way.

Chichi laughed, 'O Goku.' She sighed, 'Ah my little scholar. He will grow up soon.' She said as she walked out of the room to check on Gohan. Nothing distracted Chichi as much as Gohan and Goku was glad that it was so easy to distract his wife.

He sat down on the bed. Sleep was out of the question. As soon as he closed his eyes the voices would return. The images would return. Images of war, images of destruction, images of a civilisation rising and falling and than losing its way and become something it was never meant to be. He could deal with the images but he could not deal with the whispers. He never knew simply sounds could convey such pain, such longing, such… something else. The whispers were telling him something yet he did not know what. The words made no sense. Once he tried to make sense of them. Never learnt much. Something about being trapped and in pain, something about a lesson and a prince, something about a place called Vegitasei. Goku did not understand. He specially did not understand why they kept calling him Kakarott.

'Because that is your name.' Came the voice. The only one he heard distinctly. Goku looked up. A spider was casting a shadow right on him. He moved away from the shadow. The voice, he knew, would not speak to him now.

The first few years he clung to the shadows. The whispers laced with pain as it was oddly soothed him. Saiyain or not he was still only a child. A child who had had company all his life. Vegeta always believed that he could do without company but left on his own he knew better. How many time had he sat in the shadows listening to the endless voices cry out their pain to him and prayed to every spirit he could think of, except her, to give him company. The spirits did answer him. They always answered prayers in which heart and minds were poured in. But their powers were limited. In answer to his prayers for company they could only send him the creatures that ran free in the woodlands, crawled around in the deserts sands and soured the high skies their spirits untamed.

In another time, another place Vegeta would never think of keeping pets. But now they were his only company. The spirits had given his huge wild cat the ability to watch him. They gave his desert lizard the ability to gaze upon his face and his hawk the ability to find him no matter what. They were the only living beings in the entire universe who could see him and to him they were the most cherished possession he could ever have. But it was not enough. It would never be enough. To have more Vegeta knew he had to prey to a spirit whose powers were so great that it seemed to have no limits. He had to pray to her. But he would never pray to her. he would never pray to the spirit of Vegitasei. He would not pray to her because he knew that as a Prince of the house of Vegitasei he was not suppose to even acknowledge her existence. He would not pray to her, he would not…

The island was small but nice. The waves were good. The weather was great. Most of all, minus the old perverts ogling and the little pigs underwear fetish, it was a nice warm place to be. He had spent a lot of time there. When he was young but somehow he didn't feel any joy at the prospect of going there now. Shadows so many shadows lurked there. So many shadows that threatened to drive him mad with there endless whispering. Goku shuddered but he kept silent. Chichi really wanted to get out of the house and he could not say no to her. He never could. So he went. After all it was a chance to see all his friends.

Even the ones he hadn't seen for awhile, 'Hey Bulma nice to see you.' He called out as he ran to the blue haired genius. 'How are you? I like your new hairstyle.'

'Really?' She said as she touched her hair, 'You don't think its too short.'

'Well, a little but it'll grow back.' He said with a smile.

Bulma giggled, 'O Goku don't ever change.' She said, 'Now where is your son.'

'O he over there, come.' Said Goku as he ushered his oldest friend to his wife and son. They were sitting under the shadow of a palm tree. Keeping away from the rays of the sun. Keeping away from him, though they did not mean to.

He stopped well away from the shadows and watched as Bulma ran over to his son and began to bombard the child with questions. He watched with a smile on his face like always. Hiding the dread that was in his eyes as he gazed down upon the dark shadow. So simple yet so very frightening. 'Goku why don't you come and sit next to us?' suggested his wife.

'No thanks, I'll let you guys talk, I want to get some training done.' So saying he ran off to find Krillian. In truth he was running from the shadows but they did not know that. Left up to him they would never know that.

The desert wind ruffled her hair as it blew grit up in the air. The little Prince was at it again. Clutching his cat, trying not to remember the time when the planet was full. Trying to fight the most natural instinct a Saiyain possessed when under duress and fight and flight was out of the question. He was trying to fight the urge to drop down on his knees and to appeal to the planet itself. She shook her head, or rather the illusion of a head that she had created to give form to what had no form. It hurt, it hurt her immensely when her children suffered. With their souls linked to the planet, the planet could always feel the pain of a Saiyain and as she was the planet she felt the pain of every Saiyain that now existed in limbo and the two who did not. It was not a nice sensation. The curse was harder on her than it was on her children. She could break it. She had the power but she knew what would happen if she did. Death, destruction and she wasn't talking about other species either. The witches curse was cruel indeed but it was teaching the Saiyains a lesson they really needed to learn. It was teaching Vegeta a lesson he needed to learn and one day, one day he would learn and her children would be free. Till than the planet would suffer under the soul crushing weight of grief and pain, till than she must suffer under the soul crushing weight of her children tears. But she would survive, she could survive this. She would not survive if the witches curse was never brought into force.

She gazed up at the sky and through the atmosphere. Her supernatural eyes tracked through space defying time, bending space. Soon she was gazing down upon a blue planet teaming with life. There she saw the only other of her children who was not in limbo. Kakarott or as he would like to be called Son Goku. He had developed exactly like she hoped he would. More like a Saiyain than anybody could imagine but at the same time different. It was time for him to return home. Soon he would be returning and he would bring the sapphire eyed female as well. She smiled, 'You may not pray to me for company Vegeta but it does not mean I am not going to give it to you.' She did not bother saying the words in Vegeta's mind, she knew they would only earn her scorn.

In a mistaken belief that he could rise to godhood in the eyes of the Saiyain people one of Vegeta's ancestors and swore her existence to be false and made it a crime to turn to her. He died a miserable creature, consumed by his own empty ambition to an extent that even the gentlest and kindest of Vegitaseien spirits turned their back on him. But he had left a lasting legacy in which the planet had no place in the psyche of Saiyains. It was just a ball of dirt that existed to serve them no matter what. It was than that the Saiyains first lost their way. It only got worse from there.

There was a full moon that night. He stayed in its light holding her close. Sleep would come soon. Perhaps, perhaps tonight would be better. Perhaps tonight he would hear less voices, perhaps… heavy with sleep his eyes drifted closed and for a time nothing but darkness filled his mind and silence reigned in his heart. But than, than the shadows began to whisper though the darkness remained. The endless string of nonsensical words drifted through his mind leaving behind a trail of hurt and pain. His eyes snapped open but the darkness did not lift. For a moment panic gripped his heart as he though he had gone blind. 'NO.' he screamed. Shadows, nothing but shadows, all around him. Gripping his mind, raving his soul driving him mad. 'NO.' he screamed again as he lashed out against it. Against the overwhelming, over powering sensation of insanity creeping up on him like a thief in the night, posed to steal his mind. 'NO.' he screamed as power began to course through his body. He would not let his mind be stolen, he would not be driven mad. He had never lost a battle before and he was not going to lose one now.

'Kakarott!' came the voice, 'Control yourself. This is achieving nothing, think, remember…' said the voice of his father… his father. In a flash he remembered everything. everything from before he hit his head against the cold hard ground. He remembered what was feed into his brain during the long journey from Vegitasei to earth. A monster, a killer, that's what he truly was, that's what he was suppose to be. He was not suppose to wed Chichi or befriend Bulma and Krillian he was suppose to destroy them.

A sob escaped him as what he was came crashing down upon him. But he could be a monster, he just couldn't be. He lashed out against it. His power rising as he fought to drive away the image of him he saw in his mind. A murderer, a creature that can only be described as evil, 'NO!' he screamed again, 'I am not a monster.'

'And neither are we.' Said Bardock, 'Or rather it is not what we were meant to be. But a race as old as ours can't survive as long as we have without losing our way. The wisest of races lose their way and whatever we were we were not wise. But time in the limbo has taught us wisdom and taught me your value. When you first met the female with the blue hair you laughed as you told her that you thought your parents didn't want you. Did you really find the knowledge so light?' he asked softly.

'No.' answered Kakarott with tears streaming down his eyes, 'Why didn't you want me?' he asked a painful note in his voice. Years of not pretending to care, years of not believing to care was being washed away against his will. He did care, he realised than he always had.

'You were weak.' Answered Bardock, 'A birth Ki of two. I was ashamed. So I did what we always have done with children so weak. I gave you to the pod-seeding unit and they sent you to earth. If you survived and cleared the planet you would have earned your place in Saiyain society. I had no doubt you would do so. I saw it, as I was taught to see it, as shielding you from the enemies of the Saiyain empire.' A weary chuckle, 'It seems I was right. I mean if you haven't noticed you are not in the limbo with us.'

'Do you regret it?' asked Kakarott, 'Do you regret sending me away?'

'Do I regret saving my son from joining me in limbo? No. Do I regret what my son has become? No. I know I should condemn you for being a over sensitive weakling but as I said before life in the limbo has taught us wisdom and I don't regret what you have become. So the answer to your question is yes. I would do it again.'

As unlikely as it was Goku found that was exactly what he wanted to hear. 'What do you want me to do? What happened?'

'A curse Kakarott. A curse was placed on us by a witch more powerful than you can ever imagine. A curse that ends when…' suddenly the clarity was done and nothing but mindless chattering began to fill his mind.

'Father?' asked Goku, suddenly he felt cold inside and he knew that he would never hear his father again till this curse he spoke of was broken, 'Father!' he screamed as his vision returned and he saw his friends and family surround him with fear imprinted on their faces. He saw to his horror that in his frenzy he had harmed his wife. Chichi lay on the ground unconscious, 'Chichi.' Yelled Goku as he picked her up and flew towards the hospital. Gohan had not been there to witness the chaotic scene probably slept through the whole thing. A fact he was supremely grateful for. With tears streaming down his face and mindless whispers clouding his brain he rushed her to an emergency ward. The doctors told him it was not too serious but would have been if he had been late but a moment.

As he waited for her to wake up, his head empty of tears but filled with the whispers, he formulated in his mind what he had to do. The whispers would not stop. He knew that. The shadows would whisper in his head till they drove him mad and forced him to take his own life. He would never hear his father again unless he got him out of the limbo. He could not run from the shadows anymore. They were every where now, even within his own soul. He was going to have to face things head on. He had to go home. He had to return to Vegitasei.

'Mr. Son, you wife is awake now. You can go and see her.' Said the doctor. Goku nodded and slowly got up. For the first time he realised that some time during the course of the night his friends had joined him. He smiled at them and followed the doctor to the Chichi's room. The other waited outside till the doctor and nurse cleared out than they snack in. none of them really wanted to deal with a doctor telling them they couldn't be there because the patient needed rest.

'Mom!' screamed Gohan as he scrambled over to her, 'Are you alright?'

'I am fine.' She said with a forced smile, 'Or at least I will be as soon as your father explains what happened back there.' She said the smile vanishing for her lips. Goku sat down in a chair next to her and pressed his hand to his forehead as he tried to recall when the voices first began. Slowly and as clearly as he could he told them everything.

When he finished a dead silence filled the room, 'Why didn't you tell us this before?' demanded Bulma, 'I mean we could have helped you.'

Goku shook his head, 'No you could not. You still can't.' he stopped, 'That is not true, **you** can help me.' He informed Bulma, 'My ship, the Saiyain space pod I came here in, I need you to rebuild it. Will you do it please?' he begged. Bulma could not remember the last time he had begged.

'But Goku why?' asked Chichi fearing the answer.

'I need to go back Chichi.' Said Goku, 'I can't stay here, I can't stay near any of you. If the shadows don't stop I will go mad and I will end up completing the task I was sent here to complete. I can't stay here. I need to make the shadows stop and the only way I can do that is by going to Vegitasei.' He looked her straight in the eye. 'I need to go home Chichi. I need…'

'This is your home Goku.' Chichi pleaded. 'Your home is here with us. Your family and friends.'

'Yes it is.' Agreed Goku, 'But my planet calls to my blood Chichi. A longing I could not explain has plagued me all my life. When I fought the longing sort of disappeared and I thought that the longing was for battles, good battles, battles that test my limits. But now I understand. The longing is for the planet I was born on. Saiyains are linked to the planet Vegitasei. No Saiyain could ever imagine a future without it existing.' A wiry smile curved up his face, 'It is perhaps ironic that a race that would probably fall in thaws of despair, at least for a little while, if their planet was destroyed would be the means by which thousands of species lost their home worlds.' A look of sadness came over him as grief clouded his eyes. Grief at what his race had become, grief at the severity of the lesson they had to learn. It was clear to his friends and family that with his Saiyain side awakened he would not reset till he had felt the soft sands of Vegitasei beneath his feet once again.

'Take me.' Said Bulma, 'Take me to the ship and I'll fix it for you.' She said.

'Thank you.' Said Goku. Than he turned to his wife, 'I can't stay with you Chichi. I'll only end up hurting you if I stay. Wait for me, please. Wait for me till I can make the shadows stop.' He pleaded.

'Of course I will.' Said Chichi softly, 'Why would you ever think I wouldn't?' she asked in amazement.

'I don't.' said Goku as he gave her a brief hug and a barely detectable peck on the cheeks. He never was good at showing his emotions towards her in public. Than he turn to his son, the little boy had his arms wrapped around his legs in a silent plea. Slowly Goku extracted him and held him in his arm, 'Be strong and take care of your mother for me. Okay?'

'Okay.' Said the little boy trying not to burst into tears. Gohan was an intelligent little boy but there were emotions involved here that a five year old just could not grasp. All he knew was that his father was leaving and it was making his mother sad and breaking his little heart. But his father wanted him to be strong and to make his father proud he would be strong. Goku smiled. Placing Gohan next to his mother and stepped back. He stared at the two of them for the longest time, as if he was burning the image into his brain, given the intense look on his face he probably was.

At last he turned away. Sweeping Bulma into his arms he flew out the wind. Not bothering to call for nimbus knowing that the creature in his arms would not be able to get on it. Bulma had a good heart but not a pure one. Purity was after all something totally different.   
  
The ship was damaged beyond repair. She and her father had to rebuild it pretty much from scratch. But they retrieved the engine and the navigational computers and improved them to an extent the original creators would have believe impossible. But they did it and it didn't even take that long. Just under a month. Than she went in search of him. It was not easy. Goku was hard to find when he didn't want to be found.

But she did find him and the moment after she did she wished she hadn't. She found him in a cave not far from where he grew up. His hands slapped across his ears, his face twisted in agony and his mouth endlessly whispering the words, 'Shut up, shut up.'

'Goku!' she screamed as she ran to him, 'Please speak to me or please kami help him.' She uttered as she tried to get him to his feet thought she was not sure why.

Goku pushed her away. She slammed into the cave wall and instantly lost consciousness. By the time she came to so had he. 'I am sorry.' He whispered as he helped her up. 'It gets pretty bad sometimes.'

Bulma nodded, 'The ship is ready.'

'Good.' Said Goku, 'I'll leave immediately. I don't need much after all. How long before it reaches Vegitasei?' he asked.

'If the data in the navigational computer is correct about a week.' She said, 'Just give me a minute to grab some more capsules from my father and than we can leave.'

Goku blinked, 'You are not serious. I mean think about it.' He pleaded, 'I am unstable, we are going to planet about whose current condition we know little. I mean you can get seriously hurt or die.' Pointed out Goku.

Thinking her selfishness never showed up in the right time she said, 'I am going with you and that's final. You are in no condition to fly a ship half way across the galaxy and you are certainly in no position to boss me around.' She said angrily. Goku felt like hiding behind a rock till she cooled down, 'Now either you take me with you or stay in his cave and die. Your choice?'

'Okay, you can come.' Said Goku, 'But don't say I didn't warn you.'

Bulma smiled, 'Goku you would never hurt me. I know you wouldn't.'

'I just did.' He pointed out.

'I mean, you won't hurt me again.' Said Bulma as she turned her back to him and walked out of the cave her arms stretched out in expiration, 'Why do I bother?' she grumbled. Goku grinned and followed her. But inside, inside he was scared. He didn't want to hurt Bulma. She was like an older sister to him. An older, very louder sister but a much loved one too. He would never be able to forgive himself if he hurt her. He closed his eyes and remembered everything he had ever been taught about control. He was going to need it all. But he spirits were on his side. Little happened during the journey to Vegitasei and soon the ship was standing on the ancient sands of Vegitasei…   
  
Author's note: Well what did you think? Please give me your **honest** opinion. Next chapter will be out… well since this is my last V/B fic I am going to take my sweet time and make it perfect. Or at least as perfect as I can get it. Have fun and email me your comments at [s354033@student.uq.edu.au][1] - Tinni 

   [1]: mailto:s354033@student.uq.edu.au



	2. Prologue

ShadowPro

Prologue

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'So this is the famous witch?' sneered his father as he surveyed the frail old hag in front of him, 'I must say I expected more. More resistance, more power not to mention more youth and beauty. Instead I get an old weakling of a hag. Feh, this was hardly worth wasting my time with.' He said distastefully, 'Get rid of her.' he ordered.

'Let me do the honours father.' Said the eight year old Vegeta with disturbing enthusiasm.

'Go ahead.' Said King Vegeta with a shrug.

Eagerly Vegeta bounced down to the old hag. Holding his hand out he began to gather a small but deadly Ki sphere. Probably because he was not expecting it Vegeta was taken completely by surprise when suddenly the old witch grabbed him and pulled him into her arms. The gathering energy was snuffed and suddenly Vegeta found himself struggling to get out of grips that were too strong to be coming from a frail old woman. 'You want to see my power.' Said the hag to the king, 'Well see it. I scarifies my life and that of yours King of Saiyains so that all Saiyains on Vegitasei save the prince are trapped in the black void of nothingness between this dimension and the next. Doomed to see nothing but darkness, doomed to feel nothing but the pain that they have caused returned to them ten folds. Doomed to suffer, doomed to wander till their Prince learns the lesson that he must.' The Saiyains tried to stop her but found their bodies refuse to obey their command as something began to tug at them. Stricken with pain the King stooped forward one hand pressed heavily on his breast. He could feel his heart slowing in his chest. 'I scarifies my life and that of yours King of Saiyains' continued the witch, 'so that the Prince of Saiyains can not be seen by mortal eyes. Only heard, only felt, like the wind that rustles the leaves and brushes the skin. Let him be like the wind till he has learnt his lesson. But till he has cursed be the race of the eternal warriors.' The grip around Vegeta loosened.

Braking free Vegeta whirled around to deliver a killer blow to the upstart witch. He didn't have to. She was dead at his feet. 'Vegeta…' he heard his father's strained voice. Turning around he saw his father collapse on the throne, his eyes glazed over. His spirit free from the confines of its mortal body. All around him Saiyains vanished. All around him fear ruled and despair reigned. Finally he was alone. His scouter picked up nothing but wildlife and plants and slaves who were quickly grabbing the nearest ship and fleeing to wherever. Fear gripping his heart he raised his eyes to the shine surface of the golden throne. There he saw his reflection slowly disappear.

He walked the empty halls ways of the empty palace feeling like he always did. Detached miserable and as if he was in hell. He stood in front of the giant gold rimmed mirror like he always did. But like always he cast no reflection. Vegeta sighed one would think that after not seeing his reflection in the mirror for the last twenty years he would get used to it. But he would never get used to it just like he would never get used to this empty palace or the near empty planet beyond its gates. He opened the large doors leading into the throne room with his Ki and walked inside. He could never bear to stay in here for more than a minute, memories… too many memories of that day came crashing back to him. The day the Saiyains became noting more than lost souls and he became little more than a ghost.

Vegeta shook his head and walked out the room. After all these years one would think the memories would fade. But no they were crystal clear. Walking out on to the balcony of his palace he gazed across the garden, long over run by weeds, to the untamed desert that stretched beyond it, the desert summed up the current state of the planet well. After all the desert was the planet. Vegeta closed his eyes and tried to remember what he looked like than, tried to imagine what he must look like now. Saiyains were never known for their imagination. He sighed and gazed up at the morning sky. Suddenly a bright glowing star like object began to hurtle towards the ground. Vegeta head snapped back in surprise. With his eyes he tracked the object. Soon it became clear that the object was a giant around spaceship. As it neared the ground it slowed and landed gently just beyond the palace gates. Even at that distance Vegeta's Saiyain eyes could see everything clearly. He could see that the ship had strange characters on its side. He could not read them. If he could he would realise that they read "Capsule Corp.". He watched with interest as slowly the door of the ship began to open. It appeared that the Prince Vegeta had visitors…


	3. Chapter 2

Shadow02

Chapter 2

The huge wild cat jumped down from the roof and landed smoothly on the protruding tree brunch. Another jump and it was standing on the smooth marble floor of the palace balcony. Another moment and she was rubbing herself up against the leg of her unseen master much like a house can. Vegeta smiled down at the tiger like kitty, stooping he picked up the snow white cat that was nearly half his size, 'Well kitty,' He said that as he stroked her gently, 'it looks like we have company.' He said as he made the cat face the round spacecraft that had landed just beyond the palace gates. 'Come out, come out who ever you are.' whispered Vegeta in a tone boarding on lunacy as he fixed most of his attention on the rounded craft.

The door of the craft slowly slid open and a ramp extended out. But nothing stepped out of the darkened craft. The moments would have appeared longer had Vegeta's anticipation been high. But he was not expecting anything. He told himself that it was probably some scout from the other planet trading fractions or something like that. Here to see if the rumours about Vegitasei was indeed true and perhaps try and claim it for his home world. Vegeta had galactic cable as well, he knew the stories that went around about Vegitasei. Fortunately most of them were of such a nature that it actually made space travellers go out of their way to avoid Vegitasei. But every now and than a brave soul decides to explore Vegitasei. Every now and than Vegeta got to kick the crap out of something other than the practice robots. But this, Vegeta felt, was something entirely new. His curiosity was peeked at that but not his expectations. The moments passed away like moments.

Goku was the first to come out. He stumbled out of the craft and fell on his knees. The gravity getting to him though he prepared himself for the increase. But he didn't mind. He would have dropped down on his knees regardless. He touched the soft and underneath him with eagerness that amazed even him. For a brief moment he buried his hands in it. Just feeling the tiny particles press against his skin. He grabbed a fist full and brought it up to his face. He opened his palm and straightened it out and watched the sand slid down his hand and arms, slowly, almost like a gentle caress from soft loving hands, 'I am home.' He whispered.

The sand swirled and blew up grit around him. Running a hand through his hair the wind grabbed and blew his scent over the palace wall to the gaping Vegeta. The musky Saiyain smell lingered in the sensors just inside his nose, there was no doubt about it. He was a Saiyain. But how? How did he escape the curse? Could it be…? Vegeta knew that at the time of the curse only one Saiyain infant was on a mission. Could he be that child? He would have to be. There was no other explanation for this. But yet… why did it take him so long to come back? Why was he feeling something… off about him? There was something about his facial expression that was so not Saiyain. Vegeta closed his eyes and shook his head. Perhaps it was the distance. Saiyain eyes were good but not that good. He opened his eyes again and blinked. Behind the unknown Saiyain stood a female. Vegeta smelled the air again. Yes, she was definitely female but she not Saiyain. No Saiyain female would ever have blue hair that shone so bright when the light touched the soft looking strands. Nor would she have such big bright blue eyes that sparkled like gems under the ancient sun of Vegitasei. Vegeta shook his head and looked again. No it was not an illusion she was really there and he could see every little detail of her physique. There was nothing wrong with his eyes. A gorgeous female and a Saiyain with an odd expression had arrived on Vegitasei, 'By the spirits of Vegitasei,' whispered Vegeta, 'this is interesting… very interesting.' The cat meowed in agreement.

He felt him the moment the ship landed on the planet. The Ki was high. Much higher than anything he could attain at that moment. If he wanted to he could show him and Bulma what awaited them in the next life. The thought however did not worry Goku. Somehow he felt protected, he felt safe. He felt as if a pact existed between him and planet and the planet itself would rise to protect him if the need arouse…

__

'I have had enough.' Sobbed a teenage Bardock as he kneeled in front of a clear pool of water in a stone temple overrun with cobwebs erected to Vegitasei itself but forgotten years prior. 'I can't do this anymore. I can't handle the visions, I can't handle my destiny. They laugh at me, call me weak, she doesn't even look at me anymore, I am not weak. I have the highest Ki on the planet. I am an elite with a battle power of 10,000. Yet I can't show it to them… I can't…' sob, 'do anything with it but use it avert the things I see in my blasted visions but no one knows its me. Someone else always gets the credit. I am sick of it. I have had enough. Take away my "gift" of sight. I don't want it anymore.'

'Be careful Bardock of what you ask.' Chimed the voice of the planet in his head, 'I can bind your gift but I will also have to bind your power for your power was granted to you to be used in conjunction with your visions. Give up your visions and you give up your Ki and truly become the third class warrior with poultry Ki of 500 that you are required to play. You power Bardock will remain bound as long as your gift of sight is bound. Are you ready to be a total weakling?' she demanded.

Bardock thought carefully about it, 'Yes I am. Take away my power, take away my gift of sight and take away my memories as well. I will be what they think me to be. A third class warrior who can never rise beyond a Squad Commander. But at least I'll be happy. At least she will care for me when she sees that…'

'When she sees what kind of ruthless killer you can be when you don't have to feel the pain of others every time you take an innocent life.' Vegitasei completed the sentence for him. 'Is that really what you want Bardock?' she demanded.

'YES.' Screamed Bardock, 'Yes.' He whispered a heart wrenching whisper precariously laced with doubt. 'But please for my years of faithful service grant me one boon. Make sure my yet unborn son is always protected, while he is on your soil.'

'Very well.' She said, 'But mark my word just before doom descends upon Vegitasei you will get your gift of sight and your high Ki back and you will know, you will remember how you could have prevented it all if you weren't such a spineless, love sick coward.' A flash and Bardock lost all consciousness. She cast her mind far into the future and saw Bardock's two correction three sons. He had only asked her to protect one. She decided than she would protect Kakarott. He was the only one worth protecting.

The projected female image of the planet disappeared as Bardock slowly pulled into consciousness. What was he doing here? If any of his training squad members saw him here it would effectively end whatever prospect for a career he had. He might even lose his life. Getting to his feet Bardock scrambled away as fast as he could towards the training camps. His destiny, his real power, his real gifts forgotten in favour of a woman who wanted nothing more than to just fit in.

She pulled her mind away from the past and wondered what it was with Bardock and Kakarott and women who didn't liked being respectable. Chichi reminded her a lot of Kakarott's mother. All Chichi really wants is to be respectable, to not have the neighbour make snide comment behind her back. Send her son to a respectable school and make him all good and proper and respectable and if she has to stifle his natural inclinations to do so, so be it. At least Chichi would not stand in the way of Kakarott's destiny. Kakarott's mother made Bardock give up his. But in the end, she acknowledged, it came down to personality. Despite all his love there are certain things Kakarott would not allow his wife to change about him. Despite all his flaws Chichi pretty much accepted Goku for who he was. His mother never could accept his father in his true form so Bardock become something he wasn't in order to get her. The prince, on the other hand, will have to become his true self in order to get the blue haired female who had already caught his eyes.

Bulma stepped of the craft slowly tugging at the gravity bracelet to make sure it was fastened and operating properly. 'Are you sure you don't want one of these?' she asked Goku.

'I am sure. I need to get used to the gravity.' He replied confidently. 'Bulma please stay close to me. I don't like the feel of this place.' He confessed.

'What do you mean you don't like the feel of this place?' asked Bulma a touch of worry colouring her voice.

'There is an aura of depression surrounding this place. Depression mixed with hate and anger. I have never felt anything like it before. It's… disturbing.' Said Goku. What he did not tell her was that the aura he was feeling was being generated by the other Saiyain. The Prince? Yes it would have to be the Prince, no one else would have Ki that high. He had no doubt about it. 'Just stay close. Please.' Goku begged.

'Okay.' Agreed Bulma, 'Well, lets start with the place. Come on.' so saying ran towards the palace, her eyes bright with excitement and an almost child like curiosity.

Goku grinned, 'So much for staying close.' He muttered as he ran after her. In all the excitement of planet-fall he did not noticed that at least for awhile the shadows had stopped their whispers.

Nothing in the palace was locked. Everything was open and Bulma felt as if she was kid in a candy shop, not only was their all sorts of technology lying around everywhere the palace was filled with the most exquisite things. From what Goku had told her she had imagined Saiyains to be absolute brutes. She would never have imagined that one of their castles would have such wonderful things. 'They are spoils for other planets.' Came a deep smooth voice, 'My people did not create such things but they did plunder them.'

'O I see.' She said, than stopped. Slowly she turned around no one was, not even Goku. 'Who… who said that?' she demanded. No answer. With her legs trembling in fear she ran out of the room, 'Goku! Goku where are you?' she called out.

Suddenly she ran into something that felt like steel thickly padded with the softest down. 'Bulma are you alright?' demanded Goku urgently.

'A voice… I heard a voice but no one was there.' Said Bulma near hysterics, 'Goku I think there is ghost here.'

'Ghosts.' Goku laughed a hollow laugh that Bulma had never heard from him before. 'There are many ghosts here. What are ghosts but shadows of the living and this place…' he looked around with eyes over cast with sadness, 'this place is full of shadows.' From the corner of his eyes he saw a faint shadow of a creature with flame top hair. It was a brief image and than it was gone. But his Ki sensing senses was still picking him up. The other Saiyain. 'Bulma you can go explore the other rooms. I don't think the ghost will follow you.' Bulma nodded her curiosity getting the better of her fear she left without a fuss.

'You presume to speak for your Prince, Kakarott.' Came the voice. 'I am amazed.'

'I knew you wanted to speak to me Vegeta.' Said Kakarott, 'I knew you wouldn't follow her.' he looked towards the area were he could sense the Ki, 'I hope you will not hurt her.'

Vegeta laughed, 'What is she to you that you are so worried for her safety? If I am not mistaken she is an earthling. I thought you were supposed to clear that poultry planet of **all** its sentient life form.'

'Well I didn't.' said Kakarott, 'All its sentient life form is still very much alive.'

'What!' screamed Vegeta. 'You failed you infant mission?'

'Not intentionally.' Admitted Kakarott, 'I hit my head shortly after landing on the planet. I forgot my mission and my identity. I became Goku, Son-Goku. In fact I am still Goku. I care for Bulma because she is one of my oldest friends. I have a human wife called Chichi and a half-human son Gohan. I love them both. I care for them both. I am the unofficial protector of Earth and would give my life in its defence.'

'Than you are a traitor.' Yelled Vegeta. Kakarott could see a Ki sphere being gathered, 'As such you deserve nothing but death.'

He did not flinch, 'O sure destroy the only other member of your race that's not in limbo. Go ahead kill me I am sure you are just **itching **to be alone.' Sarcasm dripped from every word he uttered. The gathering Ki energy snuffed. But Goku found himself being slammed against the wall, hard.

'Do not, I repeat do not think for one moment that I can not handle being alone. I can. For the last twenty years I have lived here alone with nothing but my cat, lizard and bird. I can go without you.' Goku did not have to be able to see him to know that a cruel smirk was curving his lips as he said, 'Besides I said I would kill you. I never said anything about the gorgeous girl. I think I will keep her as a sex pet. Use that beautiful body of hers when I want to and kick her aside when I have had my fill. What do you say to that traitor?' challenged Vegeta.

'Bulma,' said Kakarott calmly, 'would jump of the highest battlement and smash her gorgeous body to pieces before she lets her body become the subject of your violence. When push comes to shove, Vegeta, Bulma does not fear death. Besides you won't hurt her, you are too… intrigued by her.'

'Whatever gave you that idea?' demanded Vegeta slamming him into the wall again.

Kakarott laughed, 'Simple here I am a full-blooded Saiyain who is not in limbo but while I am standing out in the hallway waiting for you to speak to me. You go into the room with her and begin to talk to **her**. Strange no.'

Vegeta let go of his shirt. Goku managed to gain his balance before he hit the floor and struggled up. 'I have never seen anybody with blue hair. That's all.' muttered Vegeta.

'Sure whatever you say.' Said Goku with a stupid grin. Vegeta growled. Goku laughed, 'Don't worry too much about it. She has an effect on people.'

Vegeta did not say anything. He was curious about her. He admitted to himself and for more reasons than her blue hair. He remembered only imperfectly the last female he had seen. He had seen lots of pictures but their was something entirely different about seeing a picture and seeing a real life females. Plus she was pretty… no she was beautiful. A tad loud but beautiful. He felt weird around her. He wondered if he the feeling he was feeling was what he read as being lust? It must be for as he was taunting Kakarott with the idea of keeping her as a pet he actually found the idea more than appealing. Vegeta shook his head to clear it, 'Tell me.' commanded Vegeta, 'Does the shadows speak to you?' he asked softly.

'Yes.' answered Kakarott. Noticing for the first time the lack of voices in his head, 'But they seem to have stopped since I arrived on Vegitasei.'

'It's the sun.' he stated flatly. 'It drives away the whispering shadows. But when it sets they will return with all their woes and all their anguish.'

'I don't want them to return.' Said Goku. 'They are driving me mad.'

A blood chilling chuckle, 'They have already driven me mad…'


	4. Chapter 3

Shadow03

Chapter 3

'The shadows Kakarott are the strongest within these palace walls for it was here that they were made. It the here that the living turned into the shadows. Doomed to remember, doomed to feel, doomed to be imprisoned. At first I clung to the shadows finding a warped comfort in it's arms but than...' Vegeta fell silent, 'than it began.' He whispered. 'I think I can almost pinpoint the very moment that the shadows ceased being a comfort. I saw something that I should not have. I remembered being on another planet, thousands of light years away under a dark sky that had no stars, there was a horde of weaklings cowering at my feet, begging me to spare their lives... I did not.' Said Vegeta simply. 'But this was a memory that was not mine. I have never been out of Vegitasei. The memory was someone else's. It was the first but it was not the last. Soon, soon through my consciousness tread the memories, the feelings of thousands. In the light of the day everything blurs and bleeds together and I can push it aside and forget and live in blissful ignorance.'

The wind howled past them touching the dry heat of the desert to their faces. It did not however cease the chill that fell over the room, 'But at night I lived a thousand lives yet I have not lived even one. Can you imagine having the memories of thousands of glorious battles but in reality you have not even been to one real one? Can you imagine living, truly living thousands of days yet knowing you perhaps never truly lived one? Can you imagine having memories of women you have been with but in truth you have never even kissed one?' he stopped as if waiting for an answer. Kakarott had nothing to say, 'It was maddening. It drove me mad. I am sure of it.' He said though it felt as if he was hoping it was not true, 'I can't be sane, I can't be.' There was such a sad, desperate, pleading note in his voice that it made Goku's kind heart ache. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out so he closed it again. Vegeta continued, 'I have been taught to cling from the shadows, I cling from them. I have been taught fear, I fear the shadows. But in time I also learned to block the whispers. I leant to keep my consciousness separate form theirs. But... but,' his stomach twisted and overwhelming urge to empty the contents of his stomach pressed itself upon him, 'everything has its price. I can fight the shadows but the stain it puts on my body keeps me sick three days out of five. Three days in a lifetime is all the sick days a true Saiyain should need.' He closed his eyes and got his body under control. 

An eagle like sound reached Goku's ears. A moment and an eagle soured through the open window and landed on Vegeta's unseen hands. 'When the sun sets the shadows will return.' He reminded Goku as the bird gently threw its head back as if someone was stroking him under his chin, 'They will return and they will be intense. I suggest Kakarott that if you do not have any method of blocking them you find one. Failing that say your goodbyes to your sanity you will not retain it through the night. Though if your will is strong it will return to you tomorrow.' With that he turned and left, leaving Goku alone to contemplate his fate.

Like a bloodhound Bulma soon found the engineering wing of the Palace. Throwing open the doors she ran around aimlessly for sometimes unable to decided what to play with first. The scouter, the regeneration tank, the various semi-organic to completely inorganic weapons that the Saiyains had captured, their arrogant belief that no weapon could ever hurt them meant they cared not that the weapons were in the hands of their mistreated, abused slaves. Here and there were posted up blue-prints of ships that were being modified and Gantt-charts detailing progress of on going projects. Bulma was shocked to find that the Gantt-chart included a small box indicating how many slaves had been killed. The slaves obviously thought a project they finished with few marks on the box a roaring success though the Saiyains in-charge of the engineering wing probably looked to those projects as great disappointments.

Frowning Bulma walked away from the charts internally grateful that she was not brought here as a slave. With her temper she would have probably been the first to die. Now that would have been a waste. Such beauty and genius combined into one Ki blasted into ashes by some overgrown monkey would have been a tragedy worthy of the pen of Shakespeare. Smiling at her bitter sweet thoughts Bulma sat down on what looked like the computer terminal and began to tap on a flat paper thin keyboard.

The character that began to scroll across the thin but large monitor was unintelligible to her. Neither did the pictures make much sense. But genius as she was she was sure that she could decipher them or build some sort of translating device for it. But languages were never that easy to decipher. It did not take her long to get totally wrapped up in her work and totally forget about her surroundings and most importantly Goku and the ghost she had encountered earlier. But soon the rumbling of her tummy brought her attention back to things outside the screen.

'I wonder if there is something to eat around here?' she said out loud.

'I killed a deer earlier.' Came a deep voice from behind her, 'It's in the kitchen, cook and eat it if you please.'

'A thanks.' Said Bulma as she whirled around in her chair to face her companion. But just like before she saw no one.

She opened her mouth to scream but was interrupted, 'For the love of all the spirits don't start screaming again, please. I don't think my ears can take another dose of your cowardly wails woman.'

'Coward!' scream Bulma, 'How dare you call me a coward you… you unseen thing that's creeping me out?' she finished lamely.

An amused chuckle, 'Couldn't think of anything else?' Bulma huffed, another amused chuckle, 'Don't worry little one I shall not harm you. Though no that I can crush your neck in my hand as easily as you could crush a bug.'

'O and that is suppose to reassure me?' demanded Bulma, 'Who taught you to talk to women anyway?'

A note of sadness crept into the voice as it answered, 'No one has taught me anything, in a long time. I have been alone for the last twenty years.'

The tone of the disembodied voice melted Bulma's heart, 'O you poor thing.' She couldn't help but cry out.

'I don't want you pity.' Snapped the voice. Bulma heard a noise that sounded like someone turning on their heels, 'I have told you about the food, have it if you desire. I would stay away from Kakarott if I were you. He is not in the sanest of states.' Footsteps leading away from her, towards the door. Bulma saw the door's slide open as it sensed something that she could not see. That was enough to convince her that whatever she was dealing with here it was not a ghost.

With the presence gone Bulma was finally able to process what he had said, 'Goku.' She whispered softly.

Vegeta had spoken the truth, as the sun sunk on the western horizon the whispers returned. Intense and demanding. The shadows demanded he listened. But listen he could not. He knew what Vegeta meant when he said about living a thousand lives. Goku could feel it. He could feel himself slipping into the mind of another, than another, than another till he was no more save a bare receptor receiving everything without discrimination. Images of wrongs done or innocent bloodshed or lives lead yet not lead for in his mind a life lead without laughter that was not laced with cruel mockery was not a life that was lead. But that did not mean that the lives did not have memories and were not filled with images both good and bad. It was those images that now pressed themselves into his consciousness and he was power less to stop them. Throwing back his head he screamed till his lungs ached for air. Falling to his knees he began to sob uncontrollable, for himself and his race.

'Goku!' screamed Bulma as she ran towards him but hit something that felt like a solid wall. 

'You can't help him woman.' Said the voice as strong warm hands gently restrained her , 'If you go near him now, he will kill you. He is not himself, he should not be approached.'

Bulma did not listen, she never really did. 'Let me go. He…'

'He nothing.' Said the voice as Bulma suddenly found herself slung across a shoulder and carried away from Goku.

It was not long when Bulma's feet were finally allowed to touch the ground. Though the arms remained around her. 'Where… where are we?' she asked.

'A spare room.' Said the Voice, 'This is the diplomatic wing. It has gravitational controls. It is clear that your weak bones were not meant for a planet with our gravity.'

'I have this device that control the gravity around me.' Said Bulma as she pointed to the machine on her wrist.

'I guess as much. I feel lighter when I stand this close to you.' He said softly. Absently he began to caress her body, 'You are incredibly soft.' He whispered

For a moment Bulma wondered if that was an insult or a compliment. Choosing to take it as a compliment Bulma moved onto more pressing questions, 'Who are you?' she asked.

'I am Vegeta. I am the prince of the Saiyains. The prince of this planet, the prince of Vegitasei.' replied the voice that she had heard ever since coming to this strange desert planet. Devote of any sentient life yet littered with cities and other marks of advanced civilisation which were still fully preserved.

'Are you a ghost? Are you dead? Why can't I see you?' she asked the unseen Prince.

A soft chuckle, 'No I am not dead, thou I wish I was. My people were not saints. They were planet purgers. One day we made the mistake of purging a planet whose species had among them a powerful witch. She curse me to this fate of being unseen by all eyes and my people into a parallel dimensional void. Only one who escaped this curse was Kakarott or as you put it Goku.' abruptly he removed his hands from her body perhaps from realising what he was doing, 'The voices of my people call out to me from the other dimension. They shriek in despair and beg me to find a way to return them to this plane of existence. Failing that they want me to find a way to end their miserable existence. Their voices haunt me. They haunt Kakarott, too. It was they who called Kakarott back to this empty house that was once his home and if you stay here long enough and the voices will haunt you too.'

'But I am Saiyain.' Bulma said in a tone of confusion.

'Obviously.' Said Vegeta, 'But desperate creature know no race.'

'What do you mean?' she asked in the same confused tone.

'They are in a place that is just short of being hell. They are the tiniest smidgen of hope and it keeps their prison from being totally hellish.' Said Vegeta softly, 'To keep their hope alive they call out to say, to urge us to find a way to get them out. They are begging but at the same time they are threatening.' If Bulma could have seen Vegeta at that moment he would have seen him smirk. 'A Saiyain will always be a Saiyain. They are threatening to take away our sanity if we fail and since we are failing our sanity is slipping. But they are not ready to let go of their hope. Outside of Vegitasei they can only call out to other Saiyains. On Vegitasei, especially in this palace they can call out to anyone.' Footsteps leading away from her.

'Wait!' cried Bulma, her tummy grumbled, 'You said something about food.'

A chuckle, 'Follow me.'

With the coming of the sun the whispers went away, so did his consciousness. In his head he heard a soft music slowly lulling him to sleep, filling his head with information even as it calmed and cleared it. His slumber was short but restful. Very, very restful despite the night he had it was. He woke to the soft chirping of the birds and the smell of cooking playing in his noise. Getting up he followed his noise to the kitchen. There he found Bulma humming softly and an unseen Vegeta empty his guts.

'Um… hello.' Said Goku uncertainly.

'Goku!' squealed Bulma in joy. Dropping the spatula like device she ran and hugged Goku, 'O Goku I am so glad you are okay. I would have gone to check up on you but old-pain-in-the-ass-prince here wouldn't let me.'

Vegeta just grunted. 'I am glad he did keep you away.' Said Goku, 'After the night I had I am surprised I have not gone totally insane.' He acknowledged.

'O Goku don't say that.' said Bulma, 'You will be fine. We will be fine. We'll find a way to break the curse I know we will.'

Goku smiled, 'Of course we will, Bulma.'

'What makes you think you can do what I have not been able to?' demanded Vegeta as he whipped his mouth clean.

'You have not tried Vegeta.' Said Goku simply. Vegeta growled.

'O stop it.' scolded Bulma, 'We will find a way to lift this curse whether you like it or not Vegeta.' She declared, 'Now if you are through emptying your gut of nothing, since you haven't eaten anything yet, we can start breakfast.' Obediently and grandly they two Saiyains sat down. Bulma was no where near Chichi when it came to cooking talent but she wasn't bad either. As he ate his food Goku tried to remember the bits of information that the music had left in his mind. Slowly he remembered the way to a temple long forgotten. He had some where to go today.

She smiled a content smile. Yes, Kakarott had remembered. He would come to her like his father used to before… she really couldn't be that angry with Bardock. He had fallen in love but… it didn't matter. Everything happens for a reason. Good or bad everything happens for a reason. Suddenly she whipped her head around, the careless gesture created a desert storm short lived but powerful enough to flatten a sand dune. But she had no time to pay attention to that. Something was approaching Vegitasei. Something that belonged but at the same time did not. Something that she should be able to sense but she was not. Something that was… messed up almost beyond hope. Something that was and was not Saiyain… Saiyain… no… no… it could not… it… Turles!

Author's note: Thank you all for reviewing. Please continue. Your comments are very much appreciated.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter4

Chapter 4

With her minds flooded with the thoughts of the engineering department Bulma barely heard Goku when he declared in intention to go. She did not ask where he was going neither did Vegeta. Perhaps because it was made clear from the tone of Goku's voice that he was not entirely sure where he was going. Bulma had enough faith in Goku to not push. Plus she was eager to get back to the engineering department. Finishing her breakfast in record time Bulma bolted towards the engineering department. It was not till she was out of sight did Vegeta speak, 'You are going to her aren't you?' he asked softly.

'Her who?' wondered Goku.

'Don't play dumb, Kakarott.' Snapped Vegeta. Goku saw the chair the prince was sitting on slide backwards and heard his press his hands flat against the table making the cups and plates rise up in the air and settle back down. 'You know very well who I am referring to.'

'On the contrary Vegeta I do not.' Stated Goku coolly. 'If you would remember, I was the one who spent the last o I don't know twenty five years of my twenty six year old life on another planet devout of any knowledge of my Saiyain heritage.'

Vegeta sat back down. 'Vegitasei.' He whispered after a moments pause, 'You are going to the temple our ancestors built to the spirit of Vegitasei. The spirit who always appeared to us in the form of the beautiful woman, you are going to the temple of…' he turned away.

'Mother nature.' Goku completed for him. 'I suppose I am… yes that is the temple the direction to which was revealed to me in the music.' Agreed Goku.

'Music?' wondered Vegeta. Goku was about to explain but Vegeta's eyes lost their focus and he seemed to be reliving some past memory, 'I remember…' his voice… it lost all its manly depth and became like that of a child, frighten yet secure in his mother's arms. 'Mother, my mother used to sing to me when I was yet a babe. Unlike so many of our people she had carried me to birth. She was still devoted to the old ways. She still called to Vegitasei herself. She used to sing to me this melody that could soothe the raging fires of hell itself. I used to beg her to sing me the melody before I went to sleep. I could not sleep without it. After the curse was set, for a time as the light of dawn broke through the gloom and darkness and drove away the shadows I would here the melody once again. Soothing me, lulling me to sleep.' Silence. Suddenly in one violent motion Vegeta flipped the table over. Plates, glasses and silverware hit the floor raising a din of noises. The breaking of china and sound of metal echoed through the hall vibrating the walls. 'It was weak.' He bit out, cold hatred and bitter anger colouring his voice, 'My mother was weak. Only someone weak would allow herself to be killed in a stupid shuttle accident. I was weak to hum the melody after my mother's death. My father had me beaten for fouling my mouth singing the melody of a spirit who was over thrown by one of my more wiser ancestors. He was right in doing so. It was weak of me to allow my self to be soothed by the music.' He spoke like a parrot saying words he felt he had to say without fully understanding what he was saying. Far, far from believing what he was saying, 'I have since rectified the situation however.' He assured Kakarott, 'Let that bitch try to brain wash me now.' Vegeta got up from his seat and marched out of the hall.

No until the door of the hall slid shut behind the Prince did Goku move. Slowly he flipped the table back on its legs, 'Your ancestor was not wise, your father was not right and your mother was not weak.' He said into the air, 'Someday I'll tell this to your face Vegeta and that day you will know I speak the truth. Till than my Prince believe what you wish.' He left soon after for the temple of Vegitasei.

He feed his pets and sat talking to them while they ate. When they were done he went to train in one of the many training rooms of the palace. Turning loose the training drones Vegeta pushed his body to its limits in what seemed like a vain attempt at… what? He did not know. But training seemed to bring a degree of normality to his life. He wished, he wished he had someone to train against. Perhaps Kakarott would give him a match. He shook his head and reminded himself that **he **was the Prince of the Saiyains. He will order Kakarott to give him a match and Kakarott will have to obey. Though if the scouter readings were anything to go by that Kakarott was nowhere near his league. But still someone to fight was someone to fight. he continued with his training as long as he could. His session ended the way it always did, with him on his knees on the floor coughing up blood. When his stomach calmed he dragged his aching body to its feet and stumbled out. Had the curse never been laid he would never have been reduced to such a state after what was by Saiyain standards a easy workout. But as it was Vegeta had to resist the urge to just lay down and die, his body ached so much. Stumbling and staking he made his way to his room and collapsed on his bed. Exhausted physically and mentally. There he lay for close to two hours before finally being awoken by a soft melody. The blue haired woman, Bulma, what was she up to…

The deserted looked the same yet different. Goku was not sure how he was telling the difference between one patch of sand and the other but he was. He could see things in the sand that he thought it would be impossible to see. He was that the sands were not all the same colour. He could tell when one desert gave way to another but soon the deserted ended and large mountain surprisingly covered with the densest forest greeted him. The mountain seemed impassable by foot, even by air it was a formidable challenge since it was so high that Goku swore that if he went any higher he would be in Outer-space. But soon be was on the other side of the green mountain tipped with white caps of snow. Soon he was confronted with blood red earth pot market with patches of lushes forests of emerald green trees. Goku did not know how anything could grow in this dry, dry place but it clearly did.

'So this is where I come from.' He whispered. This was indeed the ancient homeland of the Saiyains. This was were they evolved. It was here they lived before they could pass the mountains and have access to the rest of the planet. The story goes that one moon a tribe of Saiyain Oozarus manage to stomp flat a portion of the mountain. After the moon the Saiyains where able to use the passage to cross into other half of the planet. The Tsufurun were concentrated on another continent and it was many, many millenniums after the Saiyain crossing of the mountain did they first make any notable contact beyond the Tsufurun satelights picking up Saiyain activities and Saiyain images. Needless to say neither of the race much appreciated the other and neither quiet grasped the concept of live and let live. What a waste. Sighing Goku continued on his way, he had yet far to go.

So many things to study so little time. Bulma was not sure what to do first. Study the scouter or learn about the regeneration tank. Play with the gravity modifier or take apart the hyper-drive engine prototype. At last she decided one step at a time was best when it came to learning about alien technology. So she started with the scouter. It did not take her long to pick out the main mechanisms of the device. Soon she was upgrading and modifying the scouter to display information in English. But while her mind was eager to continue her body was beginning to revolt. Her back ached and her eyes hurt. She had to take a sort walk to regenerate both. It was a good time to explore the palace some more.

Happy with her days progress she began to hum a soft tone as she made her way through the high archways and beautifully painted ceilings. It was hard to believe that this was a Saiyain palace. She did not think Saiyains did anything beyond eat and fight. But than maybe it was not Saiyains who did this maybe it was the slaves they had. On the way to Vegitasei Goku that told pretty much all he was taught about Vegitasei in his space pod. It was not nice. They had slaves and from more worlds that Earth scientists knew existed. It could have been them but than Saiyains might suffer from boredom as well. Once or twice they might get bored of fighting and than maybe than they did something creative. Who knew? Well Vegeta but like he was ever going to tell her.

So she forced herself to be content with suppositions and presumptions. Going from one room to another she thought she could pick out the different variations in paintings and sculpture that either indicated that they were from different time periods of were crafted by people from different races. Unbeknown to her she now had a shadow. Unseen Vegeta trailed her silently as she explored his palace. He was well pleased to see the wonder in her eyes. He could tell she was dazzled by the grandeur surrounding her. What puzzled him was the briefs flashes of sadness that clouded her eyes. Was she sad for his people or was she sad for the different worlds that had been looted to fill the palace? He could not tell, probably both. He knew some races were sentimental like that. But surprisingly he was sort of he did not know how to describe the feeling he was he wanted her to feel sad about his people. Feh what a stupid thing for a Saiyain to think. Why would a Saiyain need the pity of a weakling like herself? Why would a Saiyain need pity period? But still the treacherous feelings came.

Soon Bulma made her way out into what was a small enclosed courtyard. The floor of the courtyard was paved with beautiful red marble, strange emerald green trees formed a line in front of the walls of the enclosure. The walls themselves where hidden from sight by a strange green climbing plant that sprouted cherry red blossoms with long slender petals surrounding a tiny deep purple centre. At the centre of the courtyard stood a single pedestal of the same construct as the floor. On it stood a genie lamp shaped dish containing dry red earth. Gently Bulma made her way to the pedestal and dipped her finger in the soil. She gazed at her now red finger tip and wondered if this place had any special significance.

'It's a Saiyain marriage alter.' Came Vegeta's voice from behind her.

Bulma jumped and turned around but of course she was nothing, 'A marriage alter?' she wondered.

'Yes.' Replied Vegeta simply.

'Okay.' She said as she looked around once more. 'Does these trees and things have any special significance?' she asked.

'Yes it does.' Replied Vegeta. 'The red marble represents the red earth of the arid lands from wench we hail and the tree are the only native flora that grew in that harse, harse place.' Rapid footsteps, than the soil parted slightly as if a finger had been dipped in it. 'The hanging vines represent the mountain that separated our ancient homeland from the rest of the planet, this soil is true soil brought from there by homesick Saiyains when they first began to colonise the desert.' 

Bulma watched as a finger shaped bit of soil hang in the air but than before her eyes it vanished. The spell, she understood, makes anything sticking to the prince invisible as well. She heard a noise that sounded like fingers being rubbed together and saw what looked like soil being dusted off. 'So did all marriages take place here?' she asked not wanting silence to reign.

'No.' replied Vegeta. 'Most marriages took place in front of a government officer at local judgement halls all over the empire. Only few took place here.'

'Why?' asked Bulma her curiosity peeked.

'Because only a few marriages were because of,' he paused and forced the next words out as if it pained him to say it, 'true love.'

'Huh.' Bulma uttered confused.

'Most Saiyains choose their mates based on how strong an offspring they could give them, or because they were lonely and needed companionship,' a snort indicating what Vegeta thought of Saiyains who choose their mates to appraise the last need, 'among the nobility political unions usually ran rampant. Which is not to say anyone was forced to do anything, usually it was the bride and bridegrooms themselves that forged such alliances. But some, some…' footsteps. 'We Saiyains are psychic. Only mildly by the standards of many races, strongly psychic by the standards of other races. Which ever way what it means is that from the moment we are born we have in place strong mental blocks. They are almost unbreakable. You would have to be an incredible strong psychic to break it down. None of my people are strong enough to do that.' Silence, 'However amount my people have always existed storytellers who could go around the barriers.' Footsteps, Bulma could feel his breath tickling her neck, 'They would start to tell a story with words. Slowly they would begin to weave the words in such a way that you would start seeing the words form the most vivid pictures in your mind. The words would continue and the pictures would become more vivid till it was as if you were there, at the battle, fighting along side the great warriors the story told of but than you would realise that the words had stopped along ago and the story teller was telling the story in your head by sharing his mind with you. But,' Bulma shivered with a mixture of delight and surprise as a soft butterfly kiss landed on her neck, 'when we fell in love. When we found True love and found our soul mate our mental blocks just shattered as far as the two of us were concerned, than we would come here and stand facing each other over the red earth alter and drop any mental guard we were clinging to out of fear.' Footsteps, soil began to be pushed around inside the dish, 'There we would be, each allowing the other to see our bare soul. Our soul minus everything else. Minus the feelings incited by our flesh appearance, minus the feelings incited by our strength, by our rank, by our status. We would be all that we were nothing more and nothing less.' He stopped pushing the soil around but Bulma could tell that Vegeta's hand was still touching the soil. 'Than if we were able to accept each other for what we were, what we truly were than we would take a bit of the soil and mark each other by painting one single line on each others forehead.' Silence, it seemed like to Bulma that Vegeta had removed his hand. 'We would be married. Just like that. We would be bonded to each other in life and in death.'

BOOM, to fast for Bulma to detect a Ki beam shivered the trunks of a near by tree to bits. 'Meaning less.' Screamed Vegeta as smashed the alter and spilt the scared red soil all over the red marble floor, 'Customs of a race in limbo. A race that's going to remain in limbo because **I** their Prince am too dense to know how to life this stupid curse.' He screamed as he blasted couple more trees.

'Vegeta stop it.' cried Bulma. He did. Without knowing what to do she began to gather the pieces of the broken alter dish.

'Leave it.' he said softly, 'This curse is… this curse will not allow me or anyone else for that matter to destroy anything. The alter, the tree will be the way it was before sun down.' He stopped, a dry laugh, 'I broke some plates and cups this morning, in the breakfast room. But if you go in there now you will find everything they way you found. The way it was left by the slaves twenty years ago.' Footsteps, the door slid open, more footsteps, the door slid closed.

Falling to her knees Bulma began to sod, 'Way to go Bulma.' she said to herself after a moment, 'You have known him less than a day, you can't see him and already you are shedding tears for him. At this rate your be in love with him within the week.' She teased herself. A laugh, 'I always did fall for the guys I was going to fall for really quickly didn't I.' She acknowledged to herself. Vegeta's eagle circled her once overhead, than it flew down to perch next to her on the alter lying on its side. Slowly she began to stroke the bird, 'Tell me little bird, is it a good idea to fall for your master?' the bird turned its head towards her and stared at her as if to say are you serious. After a moment it nodded its head once and went back to enjoying Bulma's soft caresses.

The temple was huge. Curved out of a mountain the size of the structure seemed to Goku to be designed to mimic the size of the planet. The gem flower encrusted entrance of the temple was fifty stories above the ground. There were no steps only sallow groves intended to be used for free hand climbing. Goku could of course just fly up to the entrance but he knew that to show his worth he had to climb up the wall. At the very least it was challenge, when did he ever shrink from a challenge?

He was just about to take off his weighted cloths when a soft voice chimed in his head, 'Keep them on.' Goku obeyed and began to climb with the weighted cloths sitting heavy literally on his shoulder.

The sun was into the last let of its days journey when Goku reached the top. Cursing under his breath he wondered if he would be able to learn anything before the shadows took over this mind Goku stepped inside found himself in a chamber richly decorated with hanging plants and vines of flowers and fruits. Rose vines and grapevines were the drapes that hid the wall from view and rich thick moss type of plant served the purpose of a carpet. There was pool of clear water in the centre of the room. Slowly Goku made his way there and kneeled down next to it. Dipping his hand into the pool he whispered, 'Good mother save me from the shadows, I beg you.'

'The Shadows, Kakarott, does not come here.' said a soft voice. Goku looked up and came face to face with the spirit of Vegitasei herself. 'You are safe in my presence.'

The green haired man gently pressed the red button bracing himself to meet the man that sat on the other side of the door. With a soft serpent like hiss the door opened. 'Zarbon.' Said the man sitting in the shadows. 'How long?' he asked softly.

'Two weeks, three if the forecasted solar flair takes place in the Ionian sun and we have to correct our course.' He informed the pirate lord.

A snort, 'He will make sure the solar flair takes place. He will do anything to keep me away from Vegitasei.' Said the man. 'Anything, that is, short of killing me. No that would be too easy, she wants me to suffer.'

'I thought you wanted to stay away from Vegitasei.' Said Zarbon. 'Isn't it why you joined formed his band of scourge of the seven solar systems, Turles?' asked Zarbon trying to work in a bit of humour into the other wise to serious atmosphere.

He began to laugh uncontrollably, it was not a present sound, 'There was a time I would have done anything to get off that… that… o words can't describe the loathing I felt for that place. I do however feel better about my homeworld thanks to my long, long absence but…' he looked out the port hole to the rapidly moving stars outside, 'I have to return. Only she can undo what the God of War, the God of the Saiyain has done to me. Only she has the power to undo his doings. I must seek her out and I must find a way to make her restore my…' he trailed off. 'Leave me.'

'Restore your what?' pressed Zarbon. 'What happened back on Rigel five? For five years I have watched you become… I mean you are still the charismatic leader, still the brilliant strategist, you became stronger after Rigel five but you lost your love of people. You shrink from the company of all. You do not mingle except to inspire your followers to do… whatever. What happened in Rigel five?' asked Zarbon again.

'I said leave me.' Screamed Turles as he turned and glared at Zarbon, 'I don't want to talk about it, I don't want to hear about it. You have served me faithfully for ten years Zarbon. That is repayment enough for me having saved your life from Freeza you can leave my company anytime you wish if you do not like what I am becoming.' He said, 'Just stop pestering me about it.' he turned back to the view port.

Silence, 'I won't leave.' Said Zarbon, 'You know how I feel.' Bowing he left the room.

Turles buried his head in his hand and thought softly, 'Help me good mother reclaim my soul.'

Goku just stood there frozen. He could not understand it. He had conversed with the earth Kami on countless occasions, why was his voice not working now? 'It is perhaps because you are not used to conversing with spirits of planets. Especially your own.' She offered, 'Gods and planet spirits are two very different things.'

'Perhaps.' Agreed Goku. 'I have questions.'

'Yes you have many questions.' Agreed Vegitasei, 'But they are all centred around the curse.' Goku nodded, 'I can not tell you how to lift the curse. You have to discover that on your own. But I can help you understand it. Understand the witch who cast it and point you in the right direction. But I cannot tell you. It would defeat the purpose of the curse.'

'This curse has a purpose other than to make creatures suffer?' wondered Goku in amazement.

'Yes it does.' Replied Vegitasei. 'Tell me who do the Saiyains worship?' she asked.

'They used to worship you.' Said Goku, 'But most tribes have their own tribal spirits and…' Vegitasei shook her head.

'No one worships spirits Kakarott. They pay us homage and we protect them in return for their homage and some of us protect them regardless of whether they pay us homage or not. It must be your human upbringing that's getting the two mixed up. Think again. Who do the Saiyains worship?' Vegitasei asked again.

Kakarott thought for awhile longer this time, 'You mean Mithral. The one god of the Saiyains who is also sometimes referred to as the god of war?' Vegitasei inclined her head slightly, 'What does he have to do with anything?' wondered Kakarott. 'The only thing he does in this life for us is aid us in battle it is only in the next life that we have to answer to him for the deed of our present life. Which is why there are no elaborate temples to him. We remember him… always during every deed we do and hope that it meets his approval.'

'Yes, that is the theory.' Agreed Vegitasei, 'Yet you could not remember his name when I asked you to. Thus lies the problem.' Goku blinked, 'The Saiyains forgot what it was preciously Mithral approved and what it was he disapproved. They did not remember him when they did the deeds for which they had to answer to him in the afterlife. Though they did call him before battle. If it could indeed be called battle.' Said Vegitasei, 'There is no honour in what the Saiyains were doing. There was not honour in pointing and shooting people barely able to defend themselves. Worse crushing them underfoot after turning into fifty foot were-monkeys. It was only time before Mithral stopped being passive and became active in trying to stop the Saiyains from self-destructing. Many signs were sent to them. Your father was granted special powers so that he may help his people.' A sigh, 'But alas! The signs were ignored and your father decided that he was not ready to carry the weight of his destiny.' She looked away, 'If this planet is destroyed I am destroyed and I had pretty much resigned myself to this fate when the Saiyain decided to attack the witch colony.' She looked him straight in the eye, 'The witches worshipped Mithral as well, only to them he was the lord of magic. They knew what was happening with the Saiyains and they knew that the Saiyain race would be destroyed if things did not change.' She looked into the pool, Goku too found himself gazing at the still clear water of the pool. Slowly images began to form and Goku found himself seeing the events of the battle with the witches, 'Don't get me wrong the witches fought hard to survive but the Saiyains proved too strong for even their magic. In the end only one was left. Pandora.' Goku say old, wrinkled face of the witch who had laid the curse on his race. Though not prone to hate, hate welled up inside of him, 'When she was yet young she had great power and great beauty. But age had robbed from her beauty and much of her power. In her youth she would have been able to stop the Saiyains with only her finger. As it was she had to watch her sisters get murdered and her home blown to bit. But age had given her wisdom in exchange for all the things it had taken from her. In her wisdom she realised destroying the Saiyains was not the answer.' Vegitasei looked Goku straight in the eye, 'She did have power enough to blow the planet and send everyone to kingdom come if she wanted. But she didn't. Instead she laid this curse. This isn't meant to harm, on the contrary its meant to help. Help the Saiyain people remember what it means to be true Saiyains, remind them that fighting is all well in good but when it comes to battles they must only engage in those battles that are honourable. Most importantly the curse is intended to save the soul of a spoilt brat Prince who would otherwise grow up to be the scourge of the Universe.' She stopped and said slowly, 'Do you remember Freeza?'

'Yes.' Said Kakarott, 'We… the Saiyains had an alliance with him. They purged planets for him.'

She inclined her head, 'Freeza would have turned on the Saiyains. He would have destroyed me had the curse not blocked cloud his mind as to my location.'

Goku started, 'What?'

'Yes, I told you this curse is not meant to harm. When the curse is lifted, Freeza will remember but by then hopefully either you or the Prince or both of you would have unlocked your true potential.' She informed him.

'Our true potential?' he wondered. A stray synopsis sparked, 'You don't mean Super Saiyain? You do but… how… why?'

'Those are question I can't.' said Vegitasei. 'But be warned you don't have much time. Turles is returning.'

'Turles?' wondering Goku, 'Who is he?'

'A Saiyain whose lust for power drove him to do something no true Saiyain would do. There is a tree, you see, called the Tree of Might.' She told him, 'One bite of the fruit from this tree and your strength was doubled. Turles was growing this tree on a planet many thousand light-years from here called Rigel Five. When he was attacked. He had with him his soul mate, a woman who had accepted him despite his power lust. During the battle one of those turning points of life took place. His wife and his tree were both being attacked at the same time. He could only save one. Turles did what no true Saiyain would have done. He turned his back on his mate and saved the tree and relished in the power the fruit granted him.' She closed her eyes and a single tear rolled down her eyes, 'His lust for power had corrupted him. Mithral himself striped him of his Saiyain soul and Turles, Turles was left to rue his choice and slowly perish from the inside.' she looked him back in the eye, 'Without his soul he was pretty much off my radar. However he is approaching Vegitasei even as we speak and so I can sense him once more. He bad news Kakarott. Be wary of him.' Than she began to fade, 'I have told you all that I can. The rest is up to you and the Prince. Stay here for the night if you wish. Remember my words and you will be able to free your people from this curse.'

'Wait.' Cried Goku, 'You said you would point me to the right direction on how to lift the spell.'

'I have.' Said she as she disappeared, 'One last thing. Turles his your half brother.' Goku's eyes widened, 'And Vegeta's.' Goku swore his jaw was hanging all the way down to the floor.

Author's note: Did you like it? Tell me won't you. Just e-mail [s354033@student.uq.edu.au][1] and as for Turles he does look like Goku and he was the leader of a bad of Space pirates and in the Funamation version of the movie he was in he was said to be Goku's twin. That is incorrect as Goku had no twin in the Bardock special. So that's just bad translation or Funamation's explanation as to why they look alike. It has also been said that he was a third class warrior like Goku was suppose to be and all third class warriors look alike. That too is not correct as the rest of Bardock's squad were also third class warriors and of course they don't look identical and many of the Saiyain we see in the Bardock special were also third class and they too were significantly different. So clearly Turles is related to Goku, its just not clear how.

   [1]: mailto:s354033@student.uq.edu.au



	6. Chapter 5

Shadow05

Chapter 5

He waited till dawn to see if she would return. She did not and Goku felt as if he was left with more questions than answers. Regardless it was time for him to return. Perhaps Vegeta might be able to shed some light in this Turles thing. Although Goku did not have high hopes regarding that. But still, he had to try. As he flew back towards the palace he wondered if it would be wise to ask Vegeta. He obviously was not comfortable with either of his parents and the idea that any of them had an affair might not be well received by him. **He** wasn't taking it well. As the mountain approached Goku felt a burning curiosity to know more but was at a loss to know how. It was than that an epiphany hit him. Mithral was also the guardian of Vegitasei, or suppose to be anyway. Given that he was a big shot god the chances of him actually being at the Vegitasei lookout was slim to none. But it was the only shot he had at getting some real answer.

Goku changed his direction of flight from horizontal to vertical, going straight up as far as he could safely go and began to look around. Even with his Saiyain eyes it was difficult to pick up the narrow heavens platform. Something glittered and Goku thought that he saw something glitter artificially in the distance. He could not be sure but powering up he flew towards it at full speed.

He was avoiding her. He didn't come to dinner, he didn't speak a word to her since that wedding alter incident, unable to see him she could not exactly go look for him either. She spent nearly two hours sitting next to the cat hoping it would go to its master but the cat did not stir. Despite being afraid of the large frill neck type lizard that was Vegeta's reptilian companion Bulma even dared spend an hour with it in hopes that it would betray were its master was. She knew they could see him. So she wait for them to show her were he was. But they did not as if knowing that their master did not desire it. Vegeta of course was never really that far away from her.

He watched her silently as she went about trying to find him. Fighting hard from bursting into laughter when she passed within centimetres of him all the while thinking he was on some distant part of the palace. At last exhausted Bulma sat down near a fountain in the palace garden. 'Where the hell are you Vegeta?' she asked annoyed, 'Why don't you come to me?' she asked as she watched the sunset in the distance.

'And what would you do once I did come to you?' wondered Vegeta.

'Vegeta,' she screamed in joy as she began to look around expecting to see him but then remembered that she could not. 'Why are you avoiding me?' she demanded facing one way.

'I am not avoiding you.' He said from behind her. She turned around, 'Just because I haven't spoken doesn't mean I am not in the room.'

'Yes, well if you don't speak that as far as I am concerned you are not in the room.' She said as she crossed her arms in mild anger.

'Well remind me to continuously make noise when I am around you then.' He brawled.

Bulma's anger seemed to increase but than her face fell, 'I do wish I had a way of knowing where you were.' She said, silence, 'I've got it.' she said with joy as an idea came to her. Without another word she ran towards the engineering department. She went straight for the modified scouter and putted on. Turning it on she saw numbers began to flickers and arrows start to point. Bulma followed the arrows till she began to get a reading of twenty two thousand seeming nothingness in front of the door, 'Now I know where you are.' She said with a bright smile.

Vegeta snorted, 'Clever. It seems I have under estimated your intelligence. Can you understand anything?' he asked.

'Everything.' she assured him, 'I modified it to display things in my language.'

'I see.' Said Vegeta, 'Well I guess you won't be bugging my pets any more.'

'I wasn't bugging them.' Bulma protested, 'Besides I didn't hear them complaining.'

'That's because you can't hear them. They grumbled to me.' Teased Vegeta.

'Well fine.' She said her tone sounding hurt. 'Be mean.' So saying she was about to go past him when a soft hand gripped her gently.

'Don't be dense.' he said, 'They like you.' Bulma smiled one of her bright smiles. This time Vegeta's stomach grumbled, 'Are you hungry?'

'I already ate as much as I could.' Assured Bulma, 'But I might have some desert.'

'I thought the master hated Vegitasei.' Said the green lizard faced biped alien with mucus dripping from his mouth, 'So why is he returned?' he wondered.

'Who knows?' replied the blue tinted alien of similar construct, 'But its good to just relax for a while. I mean what we raided close to a hundred ships in the last hundred days before the master suddenly developed homesickness. I am tired.'

'Feh, you never were cut out for the marauding life.' Replied his companion. 'The more ships we raid the more money we earn and the soon we can find an honest line of trade.' He pointed out.

The other shrugged, 'I have found in my many years as a pirate that those who don't leave after a given period of time have no intention of ever being anything other than pirates. I mean you have more than enough money saved up now to go do whatever else you want to do. But you are still here, have been here for the last fifteen years, craving for the next raid, the next excitement, you will not leave till you cannot fight anymore and the master forces you to stay behind at some port of another. Than only than will you try to use the money you have hoarded away to find an "honest" line of trade.'

'Feh, what would you know.' replied the green alien refusing to acknowledge how true what he said was.

Whatever the blue alien would have said in response to that was put to a halt by the entrance of Zarbon, 'What news of the solar flare?' he asked.

'I am afraid it is taking place.' Replied the green alien, 'However it is not all bad news. I have calculated a way that we can use the solar flare to our advantage. If my idea works we should be there within a week.'

'And if your idea doesn't work?' demanded Zarbon.

'Well, we get flung into the sun and die a horrible, horrible death.' He conceded. 'The probability of success is about 35 percent. I personally think that it will work but I can understand the master saying no.'

Zarbon opened his mouth to say no but from behind him Turles spoke up, 'Do it.'

'Turles.' Said Zarbon a faint hint of reproach in his voice.

'We are all dying Zarbon.' Replied Turles indifferently, 'Some sooner than others. If your time is up than nothing can save us, if it is not that we should be able to reach Vegitasei in time.' he looked towards the navigation officer, 'Do it.'

High above the surface of Vegitasei stood a platform that was like and unlike Kami's lookout on earth. In the minds of the red marble paved floor surrounded by the native flora of Vegitasei stood the form of a tall well built but not bulky Saiyain male with short spiky hair. His eyes were closed in concentration after a moment he said softly, 'Well, that was unexpected.'

'Those are not the first words I expected to hear from the great god Mithral.' Said Goku as he landed on the platform behind him.

Mithral smiled as his lashing tail wound itself around his waist slowly he turned. Goku went down on his knees, 'Well every now and again I underestimate the desperation of mortals. Freewill can be a bitch.' He informed him, 'But no matter, it really didn't matter whether Turles came today or a year from now things would play out the same. Get up.' He ordered. Goku complied, 'You are here about Turles.' It was not a question but a statement. 'You want to know how he is related to both you and the Prince.' Again a statement, 'It's quiet simple, overwhelmed by the destiny that had been pretty much forced upon them your father and Vegeta's mother soothe a moment of comfort in each others arms. He was a lowly guard ordered to protect the future queen and do whatever she bid. She bid him come to her bed, Bardock was in no humour to argue so he complied. They… cared for each other but love was not present in their brief relationship. It ended when the future Queen, than only a daughter of a noble fell pregnant. The boy was taken from her shortly after birth and like you shipped off to a distant planet. Although the king was aware of the transgression he did nothing but ensure that Bardock was pretty much always off world and had little or no contact with the palace. Bardock gave up his destiny and married your mother and they all lived happily ever after till your mother died giving birth to you and the queen was accidentally killed in a shuttle accident.' He concluded and showed no interest in saying anything further.

'What about Turles?' Goku prompted.

'He returned and was raised like any other warrior who was judged of limited potential. He was sent to the training bases and was being prepared for life as a purging squad member. But Turles was ambitious to the extreme and had power lust breed in his bone. During one of the purging missions he disappeared and was never heard from again.' Said Mithral. 'Had the Saiyain been aware of his activities they would have known that he was the captain of the most dreaded band of space pirates ever known and had taken a Cilirian, a race of were bears, for a mate. He has great fits to his name, he robbed from Freeza, hijacked the ship of Cooler and played tricks on King Cold himself and when he had nothing better to do raided Saiyain outposts and somehow managed to manage to allude capture by them all. He also became powerful, very, very powerful.' A tiny shake of the head, 'But the more powerful he became the more power he soothe, it was only time before his lust of power led him to do something truly foolish.' He turned to Kakarott, 'That is all I can tell you. Now leave your little blue haired friend is getting worried about you.'

'But I still have so many questions.' Insisted Kakarott.

'No you do not. The questions you have, have already been answered. You just don't know that they have.' Said he sternly, 'I tire of this form.' He said looking down at his Saiyain body, 'Which is an indication that somebody somewhere else requires my assistance. But before I go…' he placed his hand on Goku head. The next instance Goku felt power, unbelievable power began to course through his body, '…there, now you are a match for the Prince. Train with him and keep a vigilant eye towards Turles. Know also that the key to lifting this curse you already posses.' With that he vanished. Leaving Goku more powerful but confused. He had some more answers but Goku felt as if he was no nearer figuring out how to lift the spell. Shaking his head at his apparent failure he look to the sky. It was time he returned.

She tried to wait up for him but as the night wore on exhaustion got the better of her and Bulma fell asleep on the chair that she had had Vegeta drag out of her room into the veranda for her. Her lasts thoughts, 'Where are you Son-kun?'

It was an hour or so more before Vegeta came to check on her. It surprised him greatly to find that she had gone to sleep on what was even by Saiyain standards a very, very uncomfortable chair. He stared at her for sometime wondering what to do. It occurred to him that the proper Saiyain Prince thing to do would be to leave her where she was. But what he did do was gently lift her up into his arms and take her to her bed. Once there he gently laid her down and would have pulled away till he realised that her soft, fragile hands were wound gently but tightly around his neck. In vain he tried to extract himself from the hold but realised that he could not do much without waking her. So he kicked off his boots and slid into bed with her, being careful not to put an ounce of weight on her. Hoping that she will let go off him ere long. She did not and the Saiyain Prince Vegeta went to sleep wrapped up in her arms.

Turles could almost remember the time when he himself went to sleep night after night wrapped in arms so soft and gentle and it could melt the hardest heart. He used the word almost because the memories were fading. Not due to any natural cause of time or anything like that but from the most unnatural cause that he no longer had a soul and there for could no longer hold on to memories of a mate who was bound to his soul. He started writing things down. Memories of her, memories of what they had done together, but the words written as they were, full of description and rich with emotions, felt cold to him when he began to read it back.

It felt like a romance novel written by an author he had never met and will never meet. Though he could feel for the characters and almost believe himself sharing their joy, their sadness in the end it felt like just another story, a very, very good story but just a story. It was not his life, it was not his love. Both were fading, both were becoming just a dream like wisp that vanished just as he extended his hand to touch it. Turles flung the journal he had been keeping faithfully for the last five years to the other side of the room. Shadows, just shadows that is what his life was becoming, nothing more, nothing less. Slowly he got up from his bed and walked across to the only other furniture in the room. A large writing table equipped with one computer and one hologram generator. Gently he turned it on. Whirled into view the image of a beautiful woman with raven black hair and turquoise blue eyes. The image still produced a reaction in him.

He kneeled on the ground so that he was eye level with the image and gently touched the face of the holo-image. The image fluttered slightly, not that noticeably but it fluttered anyway. His throat constricted and his vision clouded as tears formed in his eyes. He missed her, he really, really missed her. Why? Why? Why did he choose the blasted tree instead of her? Why could he not let the tree burn instead of letting her burn? Why did it feel to him that even after everything if he relived that day again he would have still chosen the tree? He growled and snapped the hologram shut, wondering how long it was going to be before even her image ceases to have an effect on him.

They say that everyone is born with a twin somewhere in the universe. Given the vastness of the universe it is almost improbable that two such twins can ever meet up or anyone who knows either of the twins can meet the other. But as it happens if some on was to take the holo-image of Turles wife and replace her raven blue hair with sky blue locks one would have a hard time believing it was not the image one Bulma Briefs of earth they were looking at. Despite the vastness of the universe, certain encounters can't be avoided.

She woke with the strange sensation that she was lying on someone. As her eyes adjusted to the dim morning light she saw to her wonder that though she could feel something hard underneath her she could see nobody. 'Ve… Vegeta?' she asked uncertainly.

'You are finally awake, woman.' He snapped, 'I was beginning to think you would never get your accursed hand off my neck.' Realising that her arms were indeed wrapped around his invisible she quickly withdrew.

'How did they… I thought I went to sleep… don't call me woman.' Her anger flaring despite her confusion.

'You fell asleep in the chair, I was bringing to your bed when you wrapped your arms around my neck. I couldn't get them off without waking you so I did not. I can call you whatever I wish.' He said.

'No you can not.' Bulma informed him, 'If you call me woman, I'll call you man and see how you like it.'

'You may not address the Prince of Saiyain's as 'man', your highness will be just fine.' Said Vegeta in his most regal tone.

'Dream on.' said Bulma angrily as she got out of bed. Grabbing the scouter from the near by table she flicked it on. 'Now out, I need to change.' Vegeta hmphed but complied. He wasn't feeling all that well anyway and really needed some fresh air. He however did not fail to note that he felt far better and far more rested than he had… he could not remember the last time he felt so good.

'I guess it's true.' He thought as he watched his eagle sour high up in the sky, 'A night with a beautiful girl can do wonders for your health.' It helps when you are half way in love with the beautiful girl as well.

He returned in good time for breakfast. Bulma prodded him about his trip, he told her as little as he could get away with saying. He told her that he had gone an ancient temple to the planet itself and had found out that the curse was meant to remind the Saiyain of what it meant to be a true Saiyain and not designed to cause pain. He informed both of Turles and Turles' relation to himself. He however did not reveal Turles' relation to Vegeta, nor did he reveal the precious details of who he met. He was forced to tell of Turles' soul less status and how he lost his soul and concluded his tale by informing Vegeta that he was now as strong as him and of Mithral's cryptic parting words about the key to lifting this spell being already on the planet. A silence fell over the room as the Goku's two attentive listeners tried to digest all the information.

At last the silence was broken. 'So you think you are as strong as me now.' Said Vegeta, 'Care to prove it.'

Goku smiled, 'If you want to train Vegeta I am always looking to spar.'

'As a true Saiyain should be.' replied Vegeta.

Bulma rolled her eyes, 'Boys aren't you forgetting something? The curse, I am confused.' She owned, 'What did who ever you spoke to Goku mean by "the key to lifting this curse is already on the planet"?' she asked, 'Did he mean Vegeta? But we already knew that. Or did he mean some sort of magic item or something like that.'

Goku shrugged, 'I don't know Bulma, to tell the truth I feel as if I have gained nothing from this trip. Some information about the curse of course and about Turles but not how to lift it. So in a sense we are back at square one.'

A short exhale of air, 'You should leave Bulma. This is place is not safe for you. I meant what I said before hand. Sooner or later the shadows are going to reach out to you and than you will be dragged into this curse with the rest of us.'

Bulma's eyes brightened as they did just as they tended to do when anger took over, 'Now listen here both of you. I am not abandoning the two of you. We will find a way to lift this curse or we will die trying and the next one of you who tells me that I should leave we feel the full force of my woman's wrath. Have I made myself clear?' She demanded.

'Yes.' They said in unison, a slight tint of fear in their voice.

'Great.' She said with a smile, 'Now if either of you need me, I'll be in the engineering department.' So saying she left, humming a nice little tune.

'Want to spar now Vegeta?' asked Goku.

'Yes.' Replied Vegeta. The chair was pushed back and footsteps heard. Goku followed, mentally preparing himself to fight against an invisible opponent.

'Did you have to take his soul?' asked Vegitasei as Mithral circled her little temple pond.

'He turned his back on his mate.' He reminded her. 'He didn't deserve a Saiyain soul.'

'But… he hurts so much.' She insisted.

'What do you care if he does hurt?' Mithral demanded, 'Without his Saiyain soul he has no link to you. You cannot begin to tell what he is thinking or feeling any more than you can tell what the human girl Bulma is thinking or feeling. Feh, you couldn't even feel him when he had a soul.'

'You are both correct and incorrect in that Mithral.' Replied Vegitasei, 'My range of sense is limited and without his soul I can not feel his pain or joy or anything like that. However when he is this near to me I can pick up his thoughts.'

'But you can block them out. So block them out.' Said Mithral indifferently.

'But he keeps calling me.' She informed him, 'He keeps asking me to help his restore his soul.'

'You cannot undo what I have done. So don't bother listening to his cries. He deserves all that he got.' Said Mithral coldly. 'This is discussion is at an end. Do not bother me again about Turles.' He told her.

He was about to leave when her voice stopped him, 'How can you be so cold?' she wondered.

'I am not cold.' Protested Mithral, 'I just don't worry about creatures who are not worth worrying about.'

She looked away, 'Maybe, maybe they weren't really soul-mates. Maybe that's why he was able to turn his back on her.' she reasoned.

Mithral laughed, 'Don't delude yourself. They were soul-mates and you will soon see that they were.' Vegitasei looked at him concerned. He laughed again and vanished.

She touched her head slowly, 'I just know I am going to get a massive headache before this is over.'


	7. Chapter 6

Shadow06

Chapter 6

The bridge of Turles ship uniquely Saiyain in its simplicity. There were three chairs other than the captain's chair, all of them faced the main view-screen. The Captain's chair was set higher than other chairs and unlike the other chairs had all its controls compressed into few buttons on each armrest. The other three chair's consisted of the a navigators chair that faced the left wall and pretty much had the entire wall as its computer screen, the chair for the tactical operator was located on the right wall and like the navigators chair had the entire wall as its computer screen. The main pilots chair faced the main view port and was directly in front of the Captain's chair. It was in his chair that Zarbon sat preying to every deity he could recall to get them through this in one piece.

'We are ready Captain.' Said the tactical officer.

'Proceed.' Said Turles as he adjusted himself into a more comfortable position in the Captain's chair. Zarbon ventured one last pleading glance at the Turles but his face was set into a determined mask. Zarbon went back to praying. A moment more and Zarbon felt as if every cell in his body was being ripped away from the other. The ship began to vibrate as it was propelled to velocities it was not designed to withstand. But Turles would never have a ship or a crew that could not take a bit of punishment. Zarbon's last conscious thought was a hope that the punishment threshold of the ship or the crew will not be breached with this impatient move, then he knew only darkness.

The door of the medbay slowly slide open. The body of a spiky haired man floated in doubled over. It appeared someone had him slung over his shoulder but no one else was visible. For a moment the body hang in mid-air as if someone was trying to determine something. At last the body headed for the nearest regeneration tank. The body was thrown into it roughly, a breath mask fitted over the man's face hastily. The doom of the regeneration tank slide closed. Sound of buttons being pressed. The tank began filling the next instance.

It was about than that Goku woke up, 'Vegeta?' he wondered, his tone slightly alarmed, 'What are you doing?'

'Despite your boast Kakarott you are not a match for me. You have the power but you do not know how to use it.' said Vegeta indifferently, 'Which I suppose is natural since you only got your powers but the point is today you lost to me. Lost badly to me.' The last remark was a definite boast on the Princes part. 'This is a healing device. It will heal all your injuries.' The rising liquid rose above Goku's head, 'It shouldn't take more than a couple of hours but you might want to stay there during the night. It's not going to harm you, further more the tanks liquid dulls your mind and is likely to keep you from them.'

'Them?' wondered Goku, 'The shadows.' Vegeta gave a curt nod of his head and left. A moment more than Goku's lids got too heavy to keep open, slowly but surely he slipped into an artificially induced coma.

She was on her way to the medbay when her scouter revealed Vegeta right in front of her. 'Vegeta! Is Son-kun alright? What happened?' she demanded.

'Your Son-kun bit of more than he could chew that is all.' Said Vegeta. 'He should be out of the regeneration tank soon enough.' He stated indifferently.

'Regeneration tank?' Vegeta was about to explain it to her but she went on, 'I have seen the specifications for it. It's a healing device and has the capability to heal most wounds given enough time. Although I think its rather bulky to operate, personally. Maybe I could scale it down somehow.' she started talking to herself as he continued heading towards the medbay, 'Or maybe come up handheld version of it…'

Vegeta smiled after her. The woman could be so self absorbed. Shaking his head he began heading towards the garden. The training session had taken much out of him. He should rest but the very thought of sleeping inside, in the stale stuffy air made him stomach turn. With relatively stability he made it to the garden and promptly collapsed at the base of a large, majestic tree whose age was unknown but as long as anyone could remember it had always been there. Forcing his body to relax Vegeta wondered about the enfeeblement that his body was inflicted with thanks to the after effect of fighting the damned shadows.

It was disgraceful. A Saiyain warrior of his calibre needing to rest after every little fight, throwing up pretty much every morning like a female carrying a brat. It was down right disgraceful. His lips curved up in a faint smile. Yet he was still able to defeat Kakarott. The smile however soon faded. Kakarott was hardly ready to fight him or anyone for that matter. New to his power he had not fully grasped it full potential or how to use it properly. When he has learnt to use it properly and fully only than would his defeat of Kakarott mean something. Till than… till than… sleep pressed itself on Vegeta's senses, perhaps when he woke up things would make more sense or at least seem a little bit brighter…

Darkness, nothingness, he had not had a dream since his soul had been wenches from him. Even if he had had dreams they filled with nothing. Nothing, was he something? Now that he had no soul was he also a nothing? Was he living or was he dead? What would happen when he did die? Would he then becoming nothing? After all was not his soul the only thing that was eternal? Turles looked once more around him but he saw nothing. But wait. What was that?

Slowly a faint light penetrated the darkness. The light had a deep blue tint to it. Instinctively he went towards it. For a time the closer he got to the light the further away it went. But soon, soon be found his way to the source. An orb glowing to its fullest potential trying its hardest to penetrate the dark but only managing to light the little area around itself. Almost with a childlike curiosity he touched it.

A flash. A crystal clear image of his homeworld formed in his mind. Wilderness, thick, lushes wilderness, a small cottage by a rapidly running stream. His house, unable to bear the company of his boorish companions he had had himself removed from the barracks and had built that cottage there. He felt most at peace there and had remained there till he left the planet for good. He had vowed one day to take her there but… but like his other vows regarding her it would remain forever incomplete. She was gone, she was gone because of him. He would never be able to show her his house, for it was just that. His house, he did not have a home. His home would have her in it.

A soft female voice spoke to him than, 'You did love her.' she said. 'But that did not stop you from turning your back to her. I can't help you Turles. There is no point in you coming to me.' The images in his head began to fad.

'NO!' he screamed, 'You can't abandon me. You can't.'

'I do not have the power to undo Mithral's doing. Even if I did you don't deserve a Saiyain soul.' She whispered, 'I am sorry. I really am.' The voice faded. The images faded. He wasn't dreaming. It wasn't a dream. It was a vision. With the vision completed he was left once more with darkness.

After assuring herself that Goku was indeed not hurt too badly and the regeneration tank was functioning properly Bulma fell back into scientific mode and started investigating the empty regeneration tanks and the older model of the regeneration tank the isolation chamber. Taking them apart, trying to put them back together. Just generally doing what she did best. Minutes blended into to hours without her noticing. The sun had long set err she lifted her head out of the inner workings of the regeneration tank.

She would have stayed longer had her stomach not ached out of hunger. Wondering why the Goku was not yet ready to get out of the tank Bulma checked on the controls. He was ready to come out but Vegeta had timed it so that he was not let out till the next morning. 'Now why did he do that?' she wondered out aloud.

'Because the tank blocks the shadows.' Said Vegeta from behind her. Bulma jumped and remembered that she had taken the scouter off.

'I wish you would stop doing that.' grumbled Bulma as she put the scouter back on.

Vegeta snorted, 'Why?' he demanded. 'Are you humans so easy to give heart attacks, too?' He wondered.

'Saiyain's get heart attacks?' Bulma asked a surprised.

'Not usually.' Owned Vegeta, 'But every now and than a weakling manages to get one. It's very rare but it does happen.' He informed her. 'Now are you coming to dinner or not?' he demanded, 'I am famished.'

Bulma grinned as she put on the scouter, 'Lead the way.'

Almost a hour after they dropped out of hyper-solar-wind-propelled speed the crew began to pull into consciousness. Almost to the person everyone thanked whatever deity that came to mind. In essence the only person who was not thankful to be alive was Turles. Drained of his last hope he was driven beyond the point of suicide. He didn't care. He didn't care if he lived, he didn't care if he died. He simply didn't care. 'We shall be arriving in Vegitasei in three days time.' he was informed by the navigation officer.

To tell the truth Turles had no reason to go to Vegitasei anymore. But a the vision had awakened in him a different feeling. He wanted to see his homeworld one last time, though it would not much matter to him if he was not able to see it. With a dismissive shrug he said, 'Keep on course and don't disturb me even if we are end up in a meteor storm.' He said indifferently, got up and left.

'Turles, are you all right?' asked Zarbon concerned. He had never seen him look so, so indifferent.

'Fine. Just fine.' He snapped and left. Zarbon followed like he knew he would.

'You are not fine.' Zarbon informed him, 'Enough is enough. Don't you think its about time you told me what was the matter? Maybe I can help…'

Turles began to laugh almost like a lunatic, 'I did not know you traded in soul Zarbon.' He stated.

'What…'

'You want to know what happened in Rigel five Zarbon than know. I lost my soul.' Said Turles, 'I choice power over my wife and lost my soul. You see no true Saiyain would ever pick anything over their bonded mate. But I did and I lost my right to a Saiyain soul.' Turles laughed again. But this time there was a sad note in his voice, 'No one can help me. I'll wither away and die but before I do I want to see my world.' He turned away. 'Funny it seems like yesterday I couldn't wait to get out of Vegitasei.' He entered his room and the door slid closed behind him. Zarbon remained gazing at closed door for sometime. He knew the truth would be startling. He never guessed it would be this startling.

As the darkness settled in, the sky became a light with a different type of glow. Lightening lit up the sky, thunder rumbled making the palace walls vibrate, a storm was approaching. They were sitting in one of the many rooms of the palace that seemed designed for gatherings. It was very Spartan in its furnishings, consisting of but two large, relatively comfortable chairs and one rug thrown between them. Like many of the other room, it had no windows and was pretty much boxed in save for the door. No doubt a measure necessary to keep the desert sands in the desert. But despite the closed nature of the room the melodic sound of the falling rain reached Vegeta's ears, making him restless to be out.

Bulma's scouter clicked to life as it showed Vegeta moving. A moment more and Vegeta was off the soft rug and his footsteps could be heard on the stone floor. 'Where are you going?' she asked.

'To see the rain.' He answered softly.

'The rain? It's raining? How can you tell?' she asked. Looking around the room to see if there was a weather clock or something of the sort.

'I can hear it.' he said. The door was thrown open. A moment more and Vegeta was out of the room. Bulma followed suit.

Vegeta went to the nearest balcony and looked out. It was raining rather heavily. Despite his Saiyain eyes he could not see very far ahead of him. The curtain of rain hiding pretty almost everything from him. He took in a deep breath. The air smelt clean and fresh. 'It's beautiful.' Whispered Bulma. 'I always loved the rain.' She acknowledged.

'I love it too.' Admitted Vegeta. 'It doesn't rain often of Vegitasei but when it does we cherish every moment of it.' the rain seemed to sing a song as it fell over the desert, bring life to the dry land, attempting to appease its thirst with seemed with one healthy shower. Vegeta could bear it no longer. Bulma whelped as she suddenly found herself lifted into his powerful arms. 'No point in loving the rain from a far.' He said as he took of his scouter and hers, floating out of the balcony into the garden.

'Vegeta, I don't mind getting wet but I really don't want to catch a cold…' Bulma's protest was cut sort as she felt warm water gently soak her body. '…the water its… warm.'

'What did you expect woman?' snapped Vegeta, 'Vegitasei is a desert planet.' He reminded her.

'I still didn't expect the water to be this warm.' She said softly. Making sure her feet touched the ground Vegeta let go of her. At once Bulma began to play in the rain. Kicking of her shoes began playing in the mud. Vegeta smiled. She looked so beautiful. A bright smile on her lips, sparkling rainwater in her hair. Suddenly she stopped. Her back was to him but he still knew that there was a sad cast on her face. 'I wish I could see you, Vegeta.' She said sadly, 'I can feel you are smiling. But I… I…' she turned around and started, 'I can see you.'

Vegeta started and looked down to his hand. He wasn't visible exactly but the water drops stuck to his skin, his body, his hair, showing him to her. the curse was turning the droplets invisible but at a slower rate than they were being replaced by the falling rain. The entire effect was eerily beautiful. 'I… I…' he didn't know what to say.

'It's beautiful.' She said as she walked up to him. Marvelling at him. He looked like a sculpture made of water. Hollow but not empty. The light from the palace bounced of the droplets giving him a faint blue glow. Slowly Bulma laid one hand on his shoulder. 'You are beautiful.'

Without think, without realising Vegeta slipped his hand around her waist and pulled her close. Ardently kissing her. Her hands went around him, too. Slowly, gently he began to lay her down on the ground. The rain intensified, the curtain of water hid them from view of all, save one.

Mithral watched the scene from his tower, high above Vegitasei. A faint smile crept up on his face, 'Yes, yes, yoew!' he screamed as something impacted hard against the back of his head. He turned around and glared at Vegitasei.

'You pervert.' She screamed. 'That just disgusting. Abusing your powers like that.'

'I am not… what are you… did you really think I was saying yes because of that?' he demanded incredulously. 'Don't be absurd. I am a god. If I really wanted to I could conjure up something much, much, much, much…'

'I get the picture.' Vegitasei interrupted. 'Than why were you saying "yes, yes" like that huh?' she demanded.

'Because the are finally getting together.' He pointed out. 'That's enough reason for both of us to celebrate. Want me to conjure up some cappuccinos?' He asked with a smile.

Vegitasei rolled her eyes, 'For a deity sometimes you act really silly.' She said. 'Now give the kids their privacy.' She said with a soft stomp of her foot.

'I take it that's an yes on the cappuccinos.' He said. Just as he was about to conjure them up he noticed the object she hit him with. 'An apple.' He said as he picked up the said apple, 'You hit me with an apple!'

'What did you expect to be hit with?' she demanded.

'The spiked head of a flail. A ninja throwing star. You know something hard and spiky and painful. Not an apple. I mean that just so…' he seemed lost for words.

'Mother nature like.' Offered Vegitasei.

'I was going to say tree-hugging-hippie like but we'll go with that.' he said with a smile.

Vegitasei rolled her eyes. 'You are such a child sometimes.'


	8. Chapter 7

Shadow07

Chapter 7

'It was a dream. All just a beautiful dream.' She told herself as she woke up in her bed, alone and lonely. Though not usually the type to delude herself Bulma would have had herself convinced that she was back at Capsule Corp. had the alien fresco of a Saiyains in full mode trampling everything underfoot was not looked down on her naked form from the ceiling. Naked…? Bulma sat up on. There were traces of dirt all over the bed. Her body ached slightly. Subtle signs indicating that last night was real, very real. Bulma fell back on the bed… remembering.

__

Soft lips on hers. Warm, strong hands all over her body. The entire experience… magical, beautiful, wonderful… realising how cheesy she was sounding she remembered laughing. Vegeta took offence at that and demanded what she was laughing about. Before she could answer he seemed to know. A throaty chuckle came form him. 'Don't worry.' He told her, 'You don't have to describe it… just feel it.' he then proceeded to do all those things to her that nearly drove her mad the first time.

Half out of her mind from sleep mingled with lust she remembered being lifted off the ground and held under the rain so that the dirt was washed off her body. Footsteps, the water stopped she much be inside, a brief burst of warmth surrounded her and than she felt dry. The next thing she remembered was being laid down on the bed and covered with the soft sheets. It was than, it was than that everything began to spiral down uncontrollably. Touching his lips gently to her ears he whispered, 'I am sorry. I will never speak of this night again. I… I care for you.' He admitted between clenched teeth as if the admission somehow hurt him physically, I will not allow you to share my doom.'

Bulma closed her eyes as tears trickled down her cheek. His words had jerked her awake and she remembered trying to tell him that he was not doomed and even if he it did not matter to her but alas he pressed some nerve cluster on her neck and she lost all consciousness. Something in his voice made her thing that arguing with him would be futile. She will just have to show him. Yes, that is what she will do. She will find a way to lift this stupid curse and show him that he was not doomed and since he was not she could not share in any doom. But how she was going to lift the curse she did not know. She only knew she was going to.

'I have no more use for the ship, the men, you can have them all if you desire.' Stated Turlis as got ready to land on the surface of Vegitasei.

'Let me come with you.' Said Zarbon, 'Let me remain by your side till the end.'

'End?' a raw smile, 'My life ended on Rigel Five. Do not insist Zarbon. I wish to be alone.' There was a firmness in his voice that broached no argument.

Zarbon knew further argument was futile but he could not just let things be. 'At least let me keep the ship in orbit around the planet for a couple more days.'

'Do as you like with the ship it is yours now.' Stated Turles flatly, 'But be warned that the men don't like inactivity. Last bit parting advise, take it or live it but if I were you I would take it.' so saying he headed towards the nearest airlock.

'And so this is how it ends.' Said Zarbon to himself when Turles was out of sight, 'Alas I wish… I wish I could stay but you are right Captain the men hate inactivity and they have been far too inactive as it is. No if I am to retain control of this bunch beyond a moon I will have to leave you to your fate. It is what you want after all…' Zarbon shook his head. He was of course looking at the situation from his prospective and he would want to be surrounded by friends and family when he was dying. But a Saiyain never really looked at death the way others did. Perhaps… perhaps Turles' wish to remain alone during his last few days was a more Saiyain earning than he could ever understand. Zarbon closed his eyes, he didn't understand. He didn't want to understand.

As soon as Goku woke-up from his long regenerative slumber a deep sense of brooding pressed upon his senses. A melancholy hog hung on the palace, as if something truly dreadful had happened during the night. 'Dreadful… yes dreadful…' came voices echoing in his head, 'it is dreadful… the time… the time comes… the shadows must relinquish but they want something in return… they must have something in return… the souls of the lost cannot be found the souls of the lost must not be taken… but dreadful… dreadful…'

'SHUT UP!' screamed Vegeta inside Goku's head. Rather driven to near madness by the insensible voices he had screamed out aloud and psychically. 'Shut up lest I blow up the planet to silence your senseless whining.' He said.

'Ve…Vegeta is that you?' asked Kakarott psychically.

'Who else you moronic imbecile?' he demanded.

Goku ignored the insult, 'Vegeta where are you?'

'In the desert. Come and find me and we will spar and don't worry this time I'll go easy on you.' He said in tone of indifference mingled with a note as if of pleading.

He needed distraction. Goku guess and from the little burst of the new voice Goku had picked up he could easily relate to why he needed distraction, 'I'll be there as soon as I find something to eat.' Replied Goku cheerfully.

'Whatever.' Responded Vegeta, submission laced through his voice.

'Don't worry, I eat fast.' Goku added before turning Vegeta out just as the Prince was about to make some sort of snide remark about him not caring about the state of being a third class warrior. Feeling that Bulma was okay Goku headed straight for the dinning hall.

He had barely breached the upper atmosphere his scouter picked up two beings with fighting level Ki. They both possessed about equal power but were nothing compared to him. Turles was of course aware of the curse that had befallen Vegitasei. Which is why he was very surprised to find two powers on the planet. One was the Prince no doubt but who was the other? It did not matter. He could careless. He came to spend his dying days at his cottage and it was to his cottage he was going to go but… but before he headed that way he wanted to catch one glimpse of the main palace in the capital. His mother's gilded cage a Saiyain guard had once told him. Of course the guard never told him that his mother was the queen, just that she had to live in the palace and could never get away from there as the king demands on her always kept her trapped there. He had sworn that one day he would free his mother, his mother from whom he only ever got letters and voice records. There was some rule in the palace that prevented her from showing her face to him. He never understood why it would be so but he knew that he would be able to recognise his mother's voice anywhere and that was how he intended to find her and set her free from the gilded cage. But alas before he had become strong enough the same guard, the only one who knew or cared about his parentage told him of his mother's death. It was about than that he left and swearing that he would never returned as long as there was breath in his body. But he had returned and while there was still breath in his body. No matter there won't be breathe in his body for long. But for now he was palace bound.

They had been sparing for two hours straight. Light sparring neither trying to win just keeping busy suddenly a powerful gust of wind brew them apart and both the Prince and Goku found themselves on the ground facing a small sand twister. A moment more than twister settled into the form of Vegitasei herself. Without wasting any more time she demanded of Goku, 'Which part of keep a wary eye on Turles did you not understand?'

'What? Turles… where?' stammered Goku.

A flash through his brain showed the face of a man like and unlike Goku's 'Bulma!' screamed Vegeta as jumped to his feet and took to the air.

'Hurry, the time is here.' urged Vegitasei as Goku followed Vegeta's example, 'The time is here.' she whispered. Silence, 'MITHRAL!' she screamed.

'Not so loud.' He said as he materialised next to her, 'I do have godly hearing you know.' He teased.

'You sadistic bastard.' She screamed, 'What the hell are you doing?'

'Me?' he asked surprised, 'Woman I am doing nothing. This is all free will. I am not manipulating anything and nor do I intend to. Your work is done for now. The last act of this little play is about to be played by the four chief characters. All we need do now is wait. Wait and watch.'

Water, running water, was it raining? No, the sound was coming form inside the palace. Was it decorative indoor fountain? Or was someone taking a shower? Almost without explanation Turles felt himself drawn towards it. Through the intricate passageway the sound of water led him on. But just as he approached what appeared to be the inner chambers the water ceased to flow. But it did not matter. A strong feminine scent hit his noise. For a moment he was could not tell if it was Saiyain or not. He had been away from Vegitasei so long. Even when he was here he was not much for company. The only woman he ever looked twice at he had married and… murdered. Turles pressed his hand flat against the wall as he paused to recollect himself. Calmed he went on following the soft beautiful scent.

The door was too simply decorated to lead to the room of anyone of rank. The room must probably have been for the palace guards or some of the less nobles or off-world dignitaries given the gravity control dial next to the door. The door slide open as he approached it. In the room with her back to him stood a woman with cascading blue hair. At the sound of the door sliding open she called out, 'Vegeta, is that you?' she asked. Her voice, there was something so familiar yet unfamiliar about it. When she hear do reply she began to turn around as she spoke, 'Son-kun…' she started. Although she did not know why at first. After all the man in front of her did look like Goku. Like an unlike a Goku. After all Goku didn't have a tail… a tail! This was definitely not Goku. Goku would never have that look… that look in his eyes… it was so mean, so cruel… so evil, 'Who are you?' she demanded as she stepped back only to trip over a stool. She recovered and kept on moving back till the wall effectively prevented her from going any further. 'Who are you?' she asked again. The man didn't seem to hear her.

At last he spoke, 'Alora.' He called her, 'What are you doing here?' he asked as he approached her, 'You are not supposed to be here.' he insisted.

'My… my name is Bulma not Alora.' Corrected Bulma, 'I do not know who you speak of.' She told him. Again he did not hear her.

'You…' a flash and he as in front of her, 'You…' he brushed her face gently sending a cold shiver down her spine, his touch was ice Bulma never knew a living being could have such a cold touch, 'You are suppose to be dead.' He whispered.

'Dead?' asked Bulma dumbfounded, 'You mean Alora is dead. Well I already told you my name is Bulma.' she stammered out.

Turles went on ignoring her, 'Your hair… it wrong. It meant to be black. NOT BLUE!' he screamed as he yanked her hair. Bulma screamed out. 'IT'S NOT SUPPOSE TO BE BLUE.' He yelled.

'Please your hurting me.' Bulma pleaded. Standing stock still afraid that if she moved he would rip her hair out, 'Please, let me go.' she placed her hand on the fist tangled in her hair. At her touch Turles froze. A moment and he was on the other side of the room. 'I am not this Alora you keep talking about.' Bulma tried to reason with him, 'I am Bulma Briefs of Earth. B-U-L-M-A.' she spelled it out for him. 'I do not know who you are.'

Turles seemed to have lost his ability to hear and in truth he could not hear. A loud silence drowned out all words out of Bulma's mouth. He could hear nothing. 'You are meant to be dead.' He whispered. 'You are dead. You are dead and I have no soul. Have you been returned to me so that I may hold you one more time before I go to face Mithra?' he asked. Bulma looked confused. But her confusion was lost upon him, 'That must be it. It has to be it.' Suddenly Bulma found herself secured in a pair of very strong, very powerful arms. 'Why waste any more time?' he asked.

'HELP!' screamed Bulma, 'VEGETA! SON-KUN!'

'Meeooooowww.' Vegeta hug wild cat leaped up in the air and landed on Turles face and began to scratch mercilessly. Turles let go of Bulma who took the opportunity to run for her life. She did not go far down the hallway when Turles flung the cat against hallway wall, breaking its spine with a snap. Even before the cat's body hit the ground Bulma found herself slung over Turles shoulder heading towards Kami only knew where.

'What does it mean to be a true Saiyain? Do you know my Prince? Do you know?' whispered the shadows in the princes years. 'Time is running out. The time is here. Do you know the answer to the riddle?' asked the multitude of lost souls in the folds of the shadows.

'Stop it.' begged Vegeta, 'Stop it.'

Goku closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on something else anything else, 'Do you know the legend?' asked the voices of Kakarott, 'Do you know of the golden warrior? The Saiyain with golden hair and turquoise eyes. Do you believe he was a true Saiyain? Do you believe those who followed him were true Saiyain? Of course you do but do you know why?' demanded the voices, 'In the realm of the Shadows we have learnt of ourselves. We know what it means to have a Saiyain soul. He does not. Do you?'

Goku shook his head. The action brought him a moment of calm and in that moment he knew Turles was on the move, 'Vegeta, he isn't in the castle any more.' He informed his companion.

'I know.' Said Vegeta, 'I can track with my scouter. Track me if you can. I will not let him harm her.' so saying he powered up to the max. Even thought Goku could not track his Ki properly he had no problem following Vegeta's translucent figure… translucent? Goku's eyes widen the curse was lifting.

Turles landed outside his cottage next to the crystal clear river framed by the lushes green forest. Its simple beauty pressed on Bulma's mind even as she struggled to get loose hoping like hell that her gravity bracelet was not malfunctioning. But Turles was oblivious to her struggle even as he tightened his grip on her fragile frame. 'I promised I would bring you here one day.' He whispered softly into her ears, 'I kept my promise.' He kissed her temple, 'I always keep my promise…'

'Always?' wondered Bulma.

That Turles did hear. His grip on her tightened to almost painful proportions, 'So I valued the tree more than you…' he sneered than he stopped. Slowly he turned her to face him, 'I broke my promise didn't I?' he asked softly, 'I promised I would protect you always but I didn't. I didn't. No matter I'll show you I still love…' suddenly Turles dropped Bulma as Vegeta's eagle stooped down and almost gauged his eyes out. 'Blasted bird.' He screamed as he threw a Ki sphere at it.

'NO!' scream Bulma as the gallant bird spieled to the ground, one of its wings burnt clean off. 'No.' she said again as she rushed to try and catch it before it hit the ground. But Turles intercepted her path.

'The bird is no concern of yours little one.' He whispered.

'Let go of me.' Screamed Bulma as she shut her eyes tight. A loud shriek filled the air as Vegeta's eagle was no more. 'You cruel bastard.' She cried, 'You killed him, too. Oh Vegeta…' she sobbed, 'your friends… all my fault.'

She had little time to bestow on any else as she found herself suddenly kissed by Turles. The kiss on his part was ardent to the extreme but she was screaming into the kiss. Turles was did not notice. He was in effect oblivious to everything save his own thoughts and actions. Suddenly a Ki sphere hit him straight between his shoulder blade. It did nothing more than increase his annoyance, 'INTERRUPTIONS, interruptions who dares…'

'Let go of her.' commanded Vegeta in low, cold voice. 'Let go of her before I rip you to pieces.'

'YOU rip ME to pieces.' Laughed Turles, 'Little prince you could not dent my Ki shield.' Turles informed the semi visible Vegeta.

'He alone might not be able to take you down Turles.' Said Goku as he pulled up next to Vegeta, 'But together we can take you down brother.'

'Brother.' Repeated Turles, 'My mother had another child…'

'We have a common father brother.' Goku corrected him. Vowing at the same time not to reveal Vegeta's relationship with him, 'I know what happened to you and I am sorry but I am not going to let you harm my friends.'

Turles laughed, 'I think it's a bit to late for that. You attacked me and I would not be a very good warrior if I backed out of a this fight or any other for that matter.'

'Than shut up and fight.' said Vegeta. Turles smirked and disappeared from his place and reappeared behind Vegeta and got ready to hammer him to the ground. But Vegeta saw it coming and dodged out of the way. Goku saw the opening but did not attack instead landed next to the Bulma, grabbed her and flew her to a place far enough from the battle area for her be safe and than returned to take part in the combat.

The shadows screamed in their ears

Of the anguish that only they could feel

The shadows whispered in their minds

Of great battle lost in the mist of time

Turles was strong enough to take them each on individually but together they had a decisive upper hand if they did not get chocky it would only be a matter of time before he succumbed to their combined might.

The sun rises and sets

The desert winds blows regardless

Lives come lives go

But one few truly live a life worth living

Turles hit the ground hard. He was losing, **he** was losing. Losing nonetheless at the hands of his half brother and **inbreed** prince with no doubt raw meat for brain and all because he wanted her. Turles stopped the Prince wanted Alora. No, no, he could lose his soul, he could let her die but never, never could be bare her to be clasped by arms that were not his. Turles looked up. Through the thick glade yet untouched by the burning Ki fire he could see her sparkling eyes. He could not bare the thought of her in another arms. He could not bare the thought of her belonging to the Prince. No he would kill her first…

A life worth living has many measure

Strength, power, rank are but minor few

Shadows they are, fleeting shadows

But something else is the light that burns till eternity ends

It took them a moment to realise who Turles' target was the realisation sent a chill up Goku's spine and stopped Vegeta's heart in his chest, 'NO.' screamed Vegeta. By instinct he went towards the one thing that meant the universe to him. He had to protect her, he had to protect her no matter the cost to him. His eyes feel on the cold corpse of this bird a mental flash showed him broken body of his cat, no, NO he would not let that happen to her. Not to her, never to her.

He who will bear a Saiyain soul

Must prove himself to have a Saiyain heart

Strength and power are a Saiyains hearts desire

But only after the mate who owns their heart

Breathing hard and surprised to be alive Bulma slowly extracted herself from Vegeta's grasp. For a moment her breath was caught, 'Vegeta.' She whispered, 'I can see you completely.' She said as she ran a hand over the now solid visible lines of his face marvelling at their handsome bearing. In her eyes Vegeta could see his reflection and he knew that he had finally broken the curse. A piercing scream turned his head and beheld Turles get sucked into the shadows as Kakarott yelled in joy, 'I feel them. They back, they are all back.' Vegeta's scouter too was beginning to pick up the returning Ki of his subjects as a heavy load was beginning to the lift from him body, his mind, his soul. The Saiyain empire was back…


	9. Epilogue

Shadowepi

Epilogue

The return of the Saiyain empire was hailed more as a salvation by many species than the terror that the Prince expected it to inspire. The wisdom that had been tortured into the Saiyain species as a whole became obvious soon enough. The empire in sort did not return in the form it exited in. They had a new King, a new Queen and new baby Prince. The old temples to Vegitasei were rebuilt and a vow made by the entire race that the hoped would ensure that the Saiyain race never again became purgers of planet. No one gave a second thought to the fate of Turles, a fate many would argue he justly deserved. No one that is except Vegitasei herself.

'That was cruel.' She stated bluntly.

'The Shadows would not relinquish would having something in return.' Mithral informed her. 'Turles was a sufficient atonement.'

'You could have made the Shadows relinquish without taking anything in return. Own the truth you just could not bare the idea of Turles finding release in death.' She charged him.

'O but I could have made him immortal.' Mithral pointed out, 'Although that might have given him an opportunity to be a real nuisance.'

Vegitasei let out a sigh, 'It is still cruel.' With that she disappeared.

Mithral smiled a sly, sadistic smile after she left, 'This story is at end.' He owned to himself, 'Bulma and Vegeta will live happily ever after. But Turles my dear Vegitasei is more resourceful than even you give him credit for.' He cast a glance at the little prince Trunks Vegeta sleeping safely in his mother's arms, 'Sleep well little Prince, sleep well.'

Author's note: And that people was what is most probably going to be my last V/B fic ever. What did you think? Corny, predictable, mussy romantic stuff that no one really likes, its about time I stopped writing because I have no idea left? Drop me a line and comment. E-mail: [s354033@student.uq.edu.au][1]

   [1]: mailto:s354033@student.uq.edu.au



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